Eddie Hearn says that dream Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua showdown in 2021 is now within touching distance.
The Matchroom supremo believes that assuming AJ overcomes Kubrat Pulev on December 12, the big one will finally become reality. Two British world heavyweight champions locking horns in the biggest fight in UK history.
Fury’s decision to “move on” from a trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder last week removed another dangerous obstacle. Instead he will now have a tune-up fight at London’s Royal Albert Hall on December 5. At this stage the likeliest opponents appear to be either Carlos Takam (39-5-1) or Agit Kabayel (20-0).
Hearn believes that if AJ defeats his Bulgarian opponent a week later, the biggest deal in British boxing history will be finalised.
Fury vs Joshua: we all want it
Hearn told Chris Mannix on DAZN: “When we go back to the willingness of people to make fights, there isn’t one person on the team of Tyson Fury that doesn’t want to fight Anthony Joshua, and the feeling is 100 percent mutual from our side as well. AJ, the only fight he wants, is Tyson Fury.”
Fury and Joshua have already agreed the financial structure of a two-fight deal, and Hearn believes the remaining issues will be straightforward to resolve.
“I spoke to Bob probably Friday night just before the Lomachenko fight, and he said to us let’s just sort out what we’re doing in December – you’ve got the Pulev fight – and then let’s get it done.
“We’ve agreed the financial terms of the fight already, we know what we’re doing. There’s a couple of minor broadcast details and then there’s where it’s gonna take place. And that’s it.”
Usyk an undisputed blocker
Joshua dreams of being an undisputed heavyweight champion. The one potential blocker to that remains Oleksandr Usyk. The former cruiserweight king is mandatory challenger for Joshua’s WBO title.
This week his co-promoter Alex Krassyuk told furyjoshua.com that he expects Usyk to get a title shot against AJ if he overcomes Dereck Chisora on October 31. And he said he would never advise his fighter to take step-aside money.
Hearn explained: “I never take it for granted, but I just can’t see anything getting in the way of that fight. The other hurdle is Usyk – if Chisora manages to land the haymaker on Usyk on the 31st of October, it would solve the undisputed problem as well.”
“But maybe we have to drop a belt, maybe the WBO allow it, maybe Usyk allows it and we then vacated after, I don’t know.
“But it’s really important for us that the fight is undisputed, because that’s always been the dream of Anthony Joshua. One belt missing would not mean that fight wouldn’t take place.
“All we’ve got to do is beat Kubrat Pulev on December 12, and I believe we’re there.”
