Vyacheslav Glazkov poses after outpointing Steve Cunningham for the USBA title in March. The bout also served as a final elimination bout the IBF’s heavyweight title. Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images

That was a brief stint, that IBF belt barely got time to get warm around the waist of RING heavyweight champ Tyson Fury.

The New Jersey-based sanctioning body today decided to strip the IBF belt off the XXL Traveller, so soon after he lifted it (along with the WBA and WBO titles) off Ukrainian champ Wladimir Klitschko in Germany.

The IBF rules stipulate their beltholder must fight their mandatory challenger within a set period of time, and with Fury blowing off that plan, and choosing to pursue a Klitschko rematch, the IBF is having Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov, promoted by Main Events, fight the IBF No. 4, “Prince” Charles Martin. (The No. 2 slot is empty, and Fury was No. 3, for the record.)

That scrap, place and date TBD, will decide who gets to wear the IBF’s heavyweight strap.

Martin, a St. Louis resident, is slated to fight Dominic Breazeale this Saturday, but that plan could be out out the window, I would think, because this opportunity trumps that risky endeavor.

Kathy Duva, promoter to the Russian, shed a bit of light on the matter.

“We are very happy that Glazkov will get his shot at the world heavyweight title. Everyone knows that the IBF follows their rules very strictly. And when you fight for an IBF title you know–or should know–that they take mandatory defenses very seriously,” she said.

“Having said that, I understand why Fury chose to agree to an immediate rematch. And I respect his decision.

“When all is said and done, there will be three exciting, young heavyweight title holders and a half dozen contenders coming after them. Who will come out on top is anybody’s guess. These are very exciting times in the heavyweight division and it has been a very long time since anyone could say this.

“Glazkov worked very hard to earn his mandatory shot, just as Tyson Fury did–as he became Klitschko’s opponent through a mandated fight.

“Czar, who is an Olympic bronze medalist, will do everything in his power to defeat Martin. When he fought in the 2008 Olympics, he was forced to pull out of the gold medal round due to an injured elbow. Glazkov had defeated the guy from China who was awarded the gold medal on a walk-over by a wide margin a year earlier in the World Amateur Championships. My point is that this is going to be Czar’s gold medal round. And I know that he is finally going to come home with the prize early next year.”