The clamour for Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua to happen next is at fever pitch, but AJ says whether the fight does become reality soon is down to his fans.
Joshua says he’d be happy to put a poll on social media to find out who the boxing public want him to fight next. If it’s Fury then great, if not and they’d prefer Oleksandr Usyk, so be it.
Joshua and Fury have agreed in principle the financial structure for a two-fight deal and promoter Eddie Hearn says he expects the first bout to happen in late May or early June. It appears likely it will take place outside the UK, with the country still very much in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic right now.
Joshua will do what the fans want
Joshua though says he is open about who his next opponent will be, telling the Boxing News podcast that what his fans want is uppermost in his mind: Honestly, I’m the type of guy that I’ll speak to the team and say ‘let’s just put a social media poll out and whatever they decide, I’ll do’. If they wanna see me fight Fury…There’s nothing more real than me just wanting to compete with the best.
“If it’s Tyson Fury, that’s fine. Or if they want me to fight Usyk (WBO mandatory challenger) and get Usyk out of the way, I believe I’ll beat Usyk and Tyson Fury can happen at the end of the year. Either way, I’m just doing this year’s couple of fights for what the public wants to do.
Fury vs Joshua a powerful story
“I feel like the reason why Tyson Fury is a good fight, is because it’s a UK fight, two heavyweights. What’s happening in this current climate, it’s powerful me and him coming together obviously to cuss each other and disrespect each other, but also on a bigger scale it’s to show you’ve got two guys from grassroots sport that have come through the system and we’re now putting one of the biggest fights in the UK.”
The venue remains the biggest detail to be resolved ahead of any Fury vs Joshua fight is the venue. Hearn revealed earlier this week that he has been travelling the world in recent weeks to look at potential hosts for the mega bout.
