NewswatchNigeria can report that Anthony Joshua has now been given an ultimatum to sign for World Boxing Association (WBA) title defence against Alexander Povetkin or lose his heavyweight belts.
WBA ordered the Nigerian-American professional boxer to sign for a mandatory title defence against Alexander Povetkin “within 24 hours”.
The World Boxing Association has to on hold Joshua’s bout with Deontay Wilder stating that the WBC champion -Wilder is yet to return a contract for a massive unification fight with Joshua.
WBA President, Gilberto Mendoza had granted Joshua an extra month to continue talks for a fight with Wilder, but with a deal yet to be agreed, he has called on Joshua to finalise a bout with mandatory challenger.
Gilberto Mendoza said: “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 has not returned the contract for the fight and therefore we are requesting a date for the Joshua versus Povetkin fight with immediate effect.”
WBA is the oldest and one of four major organisations which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the IBF, WBC, and WBO.
