Overview
- Reports on Thursday say Tony Yoka withdrew from the July 11 matchup with Murat Gassiev because of a back injury and will not fight in Moscow.
- The IBA confirmed Gassiev has been upgraded from the WBA secondary belt to full WBA heavyweight champion after Oleksandr Usyk vacated his titles.
- Promoters are evaluating short‑notice replacements with Joe Joyce — who is already on the same card — and unbeaten Artem Suslenkov the leading options under consideration.
- Joe Joyce would be a controversial emergency choice because he is on the undercard and has lost four of his last five fights, while Suslenkov holds a WBA top‑10 ranking but has limited high‑level opposition.
- The decision will determine whether the IBA Pro 19 main event proceeds as scheduled and will affect how fans and analysts view the legitimacy of Gassiev’s first defence as the newly upgraded champion.