Anthony Joshua: ‘I Feel Bad For Gassiev’ Over Fury Fight WBA Title Situation

Anthony Joshua says the WBA must clarify Murat Gassiev’s position amid reports that its vacant ‘super’ heavyweight title could be attached to his December 11 fight with Tyson Fury.

Gassiev is already recognised as the organisation’s heavyweight champion, while the WBA has not confirmed whether another version of its title will be at stake when Joshua and Fury meet at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.

Speaking to The Stomping Ground, Joshua expressed sympathy for Gassiev and encouraged WBA president Gilberto Mendoza Jnr to explain how the sanctioning body intends to proceed.

“We need to address the situation with Murat Gassiev as well,” Joshua said. “It would be good if you could get an interview with Gilberto [Mendoza Jr.], because it would be good to understand that situation.

“Of course [I feel bad for Gassiev]. I put myself in his shoes. I’m not going to say that this is a world championship fight. This is a fight that I just need to win because two people are coming together for a great fight for British boxing. It’s not about championships or anything.”

Gassiev holds the existing WBA title, with Jarrell Miller ranked No.1 and Fury and Joshua occupying the next two positions. Reintroducing the ‘super’ championship would raise questions about Gassiev’s status and Miller’s place in the mandatory structure.

Gassiev won the belt by stopping Kubrat Pulev in the sixth round before retaining it with another sixth-round stoppage, this time against late replacement Peter Kadiru in July. Miller strengthened his claim to a title shot by outpointing Lenier Pero in a WBA eliminator in April.

Gassiev’s co-promoter, Ivaylo Gotzev of Epic Sports and Entertainment, has challenged the WBA to explain how a new ‘super’ champion could be installed above an active title-holder.

“Murat Gassiev is the reigning WBA heavyweight world champion,” Gotzev told BoxingScene. “He won his championship in the ring, has defended it and has fulfilled his responsibilities as champion.

“If a new super champion is now to be designated above the existing world champion, then there must be absolute clarity about how that decision is consistent with the WBA’s rules, rankings and championship structure.”

Gotzev said Gassiev’s team was seeking enforcement of the fighter’s rights under the organisation’s regulations.

“The prestige of a sanctioning body is built on the credibility of its championships,” he said. “A world title has value because fighters know what they must do to earn it, champions what they must do to keep it, and the public understands what that championship represents.”

The WBA initially used its ‘super’ designation for champions who had unified its belt with titles from other sanctioning organisations, but it later recognised multiple champions in several divisions. Oleksandr Usyk held the heavyweight version during his undisputed reign before relinquishing three of his four major titles in June, leaving Gassiev as the WBA’s only heavyweight champion.

Any decision to revive the belt would also bring renewed attention to the WBA’s pledge to reduce its number of titles. Following intervention by the Association of Boxing Commissions in 2021, Mendoza said: “We will reduce titles permanently. That flexibility we’ve had with championships, we will phase it out progressively.”

The number of champions recognised by the WBA nevertheless increased from 27 in June 2024 to 43 by June 2026.

Fury’s manager, Spencer Brown, publicly backed the idea of putting the vacant title on the line during negotiations in July.

“I want to see the WBA [super title] for the [Joshua-Fury] super fight,” Brown said. “I’d love to see it because it’s vacant. Why couldn’t them two fight for it? Could there be any better a fight? One of them will become a three-time world champion. I love that.”

Fury and Joshua have each held heavyweight titles twice. Joshua’s second reign ended when he lost to Usyk in 2021, and he was subsequently stopped by Daniel Dubois in a challenge for the IBF belt in 2024. Fury suffered successive defeats by Usyk that same year, bringing his second championship reign to an end.

Their long-discussed fight is scheduled for December 11 at the Principality Stadium, with Netflix carrying the contest globally. The contracts do not include a rematch clause, but the WBA has yet to say whether its ‘super’ title will be involved or what that would mean for Gassiev and Miller.