Kubrat Pulev would “definitely be interested” in a future fight with WBA ‘super’ champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Pulev holds the WBA ‘normal’ heavyweight title, which will be up for grabs when he meets Murat Gassiev in Dubai on Friday, while unified champion Usyk has held the WBA ‘super’ belt since his first win over Anthony Joshua in 2021.
Usyk’s WBA mandatory title commitments have been complicated by the existence of two WBA belts in the top division, but Pulev would welcome the opportunity to establish a sole WBA champion.
“We’re focused on beating Gassiev,” Pulev’s promoter John Wirt said Sky Sports.
“Kubrat is in good shape. We are willing to fight any candidate and would certainly be interested in fighting Usyk.”
Britain’s red-hot prospect Moses Itauma lies in wait for the Pulev-Gassiev winner and has world title ambitions of his own.
Pulev was originally ordered to make a mandatory WBA title defense against Itauma, but the Bulgarian’s team already had plans for the fight against Russia’s Gassiev.
Pulev meets Murat Gassiev for the WBA ‘regular’ heavyweight title
The WBA has since clarified that the winner of Pulev-Gassiev will fight Itauma next, with negotiations to begin on January 25.
Itauma puts his 13-match unbeaten record on the line a day earlier when he meets American Jermaine Franklin in Manchester.
The WBA has not announced a mandatory challenger for the WBA ‘super’ title since Alexander Povetkin was installed as the opponent for Joshua, who inflicted a seventh-round stoppage on the Russian at Wembley in 2018.
Usyk has been involved in undisputed and unification world title fights since dethroning Joshua, which usually take priority over mandatory title fights.
But the Ukrainian has been inactive since defeating Daniel Dubois to become undisputed champion for a second time in July, and Usyk relinquished the WBO belt last month, resulting in Fabio Wardley being elevated as the new WBO champion.
Usyk broke his silence on potential opponents last week when he announced his desire to face former WBC champion Deontay Wilder.
The WBA have yet to confirm when Usyk will face a mandatory challenger, with Pulev set to defend his own version of their belt for the first time since defeating Mahmoud Charr last December.
Sky Sports has contacted the WBA for comment.