Tyson Fury's relinquished Ring magazine belt will now be on the line when Anthony Joshua takes on Oleksandr Usyk next weekend.
Fury confirmed his retirement yesterday before announcing he was giving up the title which recognised him as the best heavyweight in the world. The 34-year-old has yet to reveal whether he will hold on to the WBC belt he won from Deontay Wilder in 2020.
Joshua will take on Usyk for a second time in Saudi Arabia next Saturday as he attempts to win back the three world titles he lost to the Ukrainian last September. The Brit had hoped victory would lure Fury into an undisputed clash, but that now seems unlikely.
After the Ring belt was added to next weekend's showdown, Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn said: "Amongst the fighters, The Ring Magazine belt has so much prestige. I know for Anthony Joshua, he’s wanted to win this title for a long time. This gives him added motivation for victory next week. And I believe, come [next] Saturday night, Anthony Joshua will become the new Ring Magazine world champion.
"First and foremost, AJ wants the victory because he’s a competitor. He wants his world heavyweight championship belts back, but The Ring belt was there when it was him and [Deontay] Wilder at the top. We were trying to get that belt on the line for big fights then. This is a huge motivation for him going into Saturday."
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Hearn also insisted he expects Fury to return to the ring, adding: "Fury is an incredible fighter. The comeback he made in his personal life and getting back into the sport was remarkable, but the performances have been exceptional.
"I do believe he’ll return to the sport, especially if AJ wins. Who knows, you may see him re-emerge for the undisputed heavyweight championship. But if he doesn’t, we wish him all the happiness and success. He’s been a tremendous fighter."
