World Boxing Heavyweight Champion,
Anthony Joshua, has been issued a 24-hour ultimatum by the World Boxing Association (WBA) to fight Russian mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin or risk being stripped of his World Heavyweight titles.
In previous months, there has been prolonged talks between Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, and WBC champion,
Deontay Wilder‘s camp on a unification bout, but it would seem mutual grounds are yet to be reached for an agreement between both parties.
The WBA has since been lenient with the boxer pending an agreement with Wilder. However, since there has been no progress in that area the WBA have run out of patience with the boxer and have demanded he make a decision within 24-hours to fight Povetkin or loose his titles.
WBA president, Gilberto Mendoza, said in a statement:
“Today, the WBA requested an answer from Anthony Joshua’s team regarding his fight with the mandatory challenger, Alexander Povetkin. The WBA have allowed over a month extension to negotiations with Povetkin and also ongoing discussions with Deontay Wilder. It appears the Wilder team have not returned the contract for the fight and therefore we are requesting a date for the ‘Joshua versus Povetkin’ fight with immediate effect.”
— Mendoza
