Murat Gassiev has expressed uncertainty about whether he remains the WBA heavyweight champion, following reports that Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will compete for his title. The 32-year-old boxer was elevated to the status of ‘Super’ champion in July after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt; previously, Gassiev had held the ‘Regular’ title since 2025.
Fury and Joshua are set to clash on December 11 in Cardiff, with claims that their fight will be for the WBA belt currently linked to Gassiev. Despite reaching out to the WBA, Gassiev told ESPN that he still has no clear information regarding his championship status. “The WBA gave me a big surprise about my belt. At the press conference, when AJ and Fury faced off, I only saw the Ring Magazine belt, not the WBA belt,” Gassiev explained. He added, “Honestly, I don’t have any clear details about this situation. I don’t know if they are fighting for the ‘Super’ belt or another belt. I’ve checked my emails, and I haven’t received any messages or paperwork. I’m not a manager, promoter, or lawyer, I’m just a fighter doing my job.”
The WBA’s ‘Super’ champion is recognized as the official titleholder, while the ‘Regular’ champion often serves as the top contender for the world crown. In boxing, there are four major world titles: the WBA ‘Super’, IBF, WBC, and WBO belts. Gassiev is still officially listed as the reigning WBA champion on their website, with Fury ranked second behind American Jarrell Miller and Joshua in third place.
Both Joshua and Fury are two-time heavyweight world champions and recently held a joint press conference in London ahead of their highly anticipated fight. This bout, taking place at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, marks the culmination of a decade-long effort to bring these British heavyweights into the ring together.
Meanwhile, WBO world champion Daniel Dubois, who has previously scored a knockout win over Joshua, admits he cannot predict a victor. “It doesn’t seem to have the same intensity it might have had years ago,” Dubois said. “They seem to be missing that fire and edge, but I’m sure it will still be a great fight.”
Fan Take: This uncertainty surrounding the WBA heavyweight title adds an intriguing layer to the Fury vs. Joshua showdown, highlighting the often confusing politics of boxing championships. For fight fans, the bout not only promises high drama inside the ring but could also clarify the heavyweight division’s hierarchy, potentially unifying or reshaping the sport’s landscape.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
