David Haye believes it is unlikely Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua will happen this summer, and reckons the all-British superfight could face a delay to November at the earliest.
The hope right now remains that the two British world heavyweight champions will meet in July with an immediate rematch before the end of 2021. Contracts for a two-fight deal are signed and offers are on the table to host the first meeting.
Fury vs Joshua: Haye predicts delay
Former world heavyweight king Haye though thinks that is extremely ambitious, and feels that a fight later in the year – potentially November – is more likely.
He told Sky Sports: “I’ll be surprised if it happens before November. If it does happen before November, fantastic.
“Knowing boxing like I do, whatever offer they receive it’s going to need to be ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous to get it over the line, and if it does get over the line, God bless both of them.”
Fury and Joshua are expected to earn around $100million each for their first meeting alone, and even in a pandemic Haye doesn’t begrudge them those untold riches.
Fury and Joshua deserve the cash
“They deserve every penny they earn, because they’ve both put it on the line,” he explained.
“They’ve both sacrificed, they’ve both become heavyweight world champion in their own right.
“They’ve both taken their licks. Fury got off the canvas against Wilder, AJ got over his loss against Andy Ruiz Jr and came back with a victory, so they both deserve the richest prize in the sport.”
The respective Fury and Joshua camps are currently considering offers from potential site hosts, and it is expected that along with the date will be revealed in the coming days.
After that TV details will need to be finalised – Sky Sports and BT Sport are expected to share the rights in the UK.
Which way next for Fury?
If Haye is correct though and that July plan slips, then it potentially throws another fly into the ointment. Namely Fury’s recent inactivity. While he has trained diligently through lockdown – it’s now 14 months since he fought.
November 2021 would be 21 months since he demolished Deontay Wilder in their Las Vegas rematch. That would likely be too long a hiatus in the mind of ‘The Gypsy King’. So at what stage does he make the decision to have an interim bout?
While a stay-busy fight could be an option for Fury, any time he or AJ enters a ring in the interim is an obvious risk to their massive meeting down the road.
All questions and decisions which could come into focus if – as Haye believes – Fury vs Joshua I does not go down this summer.
