Anthony Joshua could vacate WBO title as Usyk talks rumble on following collapse of Tyson Fury fight, admits Eddie Hearn

ANTHONY JOSHUA could end up vacating his WBO heavyweight title if a deal for him to face Oleksandr Usyk can't be reached.

AJ's reps have been locked in talks over a showdown with the former undisputed cruiserweight king following the collapse of his Saudi showdown with Tyson Fury.

Negotiations have so far failed to bear fruit and have led to the possibility of Joshua's mandatory title defence going to a purse bid.

But AJ's promoter, Eddie Hearn, has no intention of letting that happen, saying: "We’ll either make a deal or we’ll vacate.

“I mean, we won’t be going to purse bids or anything like that, and mucking around.

“By the way, I don’t blame the WBO. They were actually quite generous to us with our time. I mean, let’s be honest – it dragged on a lot, didn’t it?

"So, I have to take my hat off to [WBO president] Paco Valcarcel, because he did put himself, his neck on the line, to allow that fight, when Usyk had a strong case for it not to be allowed.

“But when the time come, [Valcarcel] had to do what he had to do. So, I’m not annoyed with the WBO.

"I’m just annoyed that it seems that basically AJ is told who he’s got to fight every single time.

"But that's the problem of having three or four belts. That’s just how it is.”

Joshua's mandatory against Usyk came into play after an American judge ruled that Deontay Wilder is still contractually entitled to a trilogy fight with Fury.

Unified king Joshua was left furious with the collapse of the biggest fight in the history of British boxing and reckons Fury wanted no part in the bout.

Hearn told DAZN: "I think it was pretty intentional. AJ felt that Fury never wanted to fight.

"I don't particularly trust people on that side. Some people couldn't let that fight happen. They wanted to keep some kind of control.

"When they say, they might want (the fight] in December, who knows?"

A fired-up Joshua took aim at The Gypsy King after their long-awaited meeting was officially scuppered and accused him of using his name for 'clout'.

He said tweeted: "@Tyson_Fury the world now sees you for the fraud you are.

"You’ve let boxing down!

"You lied to the fans and led them on. Used my name for clout not a fight.

"Bring me any championship fighter who can handle their business correctly."

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