Usyk can make voluntary defence v Wilder - WBC

Oleksandr Usyk has been granted the opportunity to make a voluntary defence of his WBC heavyweight title after saying he wanted to fight Deontay Wilder next.

Unified heavyweight champion Usyk said this week that Wilder was his "first option" for his next fight.

Wilder is not ranked in the WBA, WBC or IBF's top 10, meaning Usyk may have to vacate some of his titles to fight him.

But the WBC announced at their annual convention that they would not immediately call a mandatory defence for the Ukrainian for their belt, opening the door for a world title fight between the pair.

"Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk can make a voluntary defence. He's already said he would like to fight Deontay Wilder," a WBC statement said.

Usyk last fought in July when he stopped Londoner Daniel Dubois in round five to become two-time undisputed heavyweight champion.

But in November, the 38-year-old decided to relinquish his WBO title, elevating Britain's Fabio Wardley to heavyweight champion.

At the time, Usyk informed the WBO he would not be proceeding with a mandatory title defence against Wardley.

Usyk remains the WBA, IBF and WBC heavyweight champion.

The WBC also confirmed that a potential fight between British boxers Lawrence Okolie and Moses Itauma would determine the next mandatory challenger for the WBC belt.

Both fighters already have bouts scheduled, with Itauma fighting Jermaine Franklin on 24 January in Manchester and Okolie boxing in Nigeria later this month against a yet-to-be announced opponent.

Several other Britons could also put themselves into world title contention next year, with a potential bout between Joshua Buatsi and Ben Whittaker expected to determine the next mandatory challenger at light heavyweight.

Britain's Conor Benn was also named the number one challenger for Mario Barrios' WBC welterweight world title.

The WBC has stripped Terrence Crawford of his super-middleweight belt, saying the American hasn't paid his past two sanctioning fees and calling it a "slap in the face".

Crawford remains the WBA 'Super', WBO and IBF super-middleweight champion.