Promoters of WBA champion Murat Gassiev condemn reports that Tyson Fury’s clash with Anthony Joshua on 11 December will be contested for the WBA’s Super heavyweight title – a status Murat Gassiev considers rightfully belonging to him.

Gassiev is the current holder of the WBA’s regular heavyweight title, won and defended in the ring. Following Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to vacate his titles, Gassiev team maintains that the boxer – as the reigning champion – should have been elevated to Super champion, or at the very least given the first opportunity to fight for that status, before it was awarded to anyone else.

Promoters of Gassiev consider it unacceptable that reports of this magnitude could circulate without any consultation with Gassiev and his team, and demand clarification from the WBA immediately.

“If anyone should be fighting for the WBA Super heavyweight title, it is Murat Gassiev, the reigning champion, not two boxers who currently hold no world title between them. Allowing the WBA’s number two and number three contenders to bypass the number one contender and the reigning champion himself would be an extraordinary and, to our knowledge, unprecedented decision. 

We have formally requested that the WBA confirm or deny these reports and provide the grounds for any such decision. At an absolute minimum, Murat must be given the opportunity to be heard and to fight for Super Champion status before that status is awarded to anyone else. Our client’s rights in this matter are fully reserved,” said John Wirt, co-promoter and legal counsel for Gassiev.

Gassiev said the decision had been made without any contact with him or his team.

“Nobody asked me or my team anything before this decision. I have defended this title in the ring, not in a press release. I am ready to fight anyone – Fury, Joshua, anybody – tomorrow, next month, whenever suits. That has never been a question for me. I would not accept the situation when champion’s future is decided on paper, not in the ring,” Gassiev said.

Gassiev’s team has lodged a formal objection to the WBA, demanding that it publicly refute the reports and take no action that would deny Gassiev his rightful status.