LONDON – The World Boxing Association has finally sanctioned a fight between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko for its “super” heavyweight title.
The fight will take place in the spring of 2017, but only if Joshua beats Eric Molina on Dec. 10 in the British boxer’s second defense of his IBF title.
The WBA super belt is vacant after Tyson Fury relinquished it last month, citing clinical depression. Fury beat Klitschko in November last year to take the WBA, IBF and minor WBO titles off the Ukrainian boxer.
“We will now move forward with Bernd Boente (Klitschko’s manager) and Team Klitschko in planning the date and venue,” Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, said on Wednesday, “knowing that victory against Eric Molina in Manchester on Dec. 10 is more important than ever.”
The two camps tried to arrange the Joshua-Klitschko fight for December, but that fell through. Hearn blamed confusion over whether the WBA title would be on the line.
The WBA also said 44-year-old American Shannon Briggs will fight Australian boxer Lucas Browne for the “regular” title on or before Dec. 31.