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In a rather unexpected move, the WBA officially granted unified heavyweight title holder Anthony Joshua a 24-hour deadline to sign an agreement to face mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin. The move inherently undermines an undisputed unification struggle proposed with Deontay Wilder which was to be signed by this Friday.
WBA President Gilberto Mendoza published this statement on Sky Sports:
"The WBA has allowed more than a month to extend negotiations with Povetkin and also ongoing discussions with Deontay Wilder.
"It seems that Wilder's team has not returned the contract for the fight and therefore we are asking for a date for Joshua's fight against Povetkin with immediate effect."
Now, Joshua must quickly decide if he wants to take up his mandatory defense immediately or risk losing one of his belts to continue a more violent fight towards the end of the year. The latter is highly unlikely.
Eddie Hearn, who accused Deontay Wilder of playing games and negotiating, says that he does not understand what is forcing Wilder's team to go back on his proposal and it now seems that this fight will only be not the next.
"It's very, very frustrating and right now, it looks like Povetkin is next."
Many fans think that Hearn did not want Joshua to face Wilder any time soon, so this decision by WBA gives him an excuse to push the fight with Wilder until 2019 without complaining. But what are you saying, fans?
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