The pair have long been tipped to face each other in the ring, and a fight is edging closer to happening – providing Joshua comes away from his comeback fight unscathed
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua(Image: Getty Images)
Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury is edging ever so closer to coming to fruition after Eddie Hearn revealed that negotiations are at an advanced stage.
Joshua looks set to make a stunning return to the ring in July. He was due to fight earlier this year, following his destructive knockout victory over Jake Paul in December, but was involved in a tragic car crash just days after the win. The Brit has been training with former rival-turned-friend Oleksandr Usyk these past few months and recently made his first UK public appearance since the crash earlier this month, attending Derek Chisora’s fight with Deontay Wilder.
Just days later, ‘AJ’ was sitting ringside for Fury’s fight with Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham. Following the ‘Gypsy King’s’ one-sided win over the Russian, the former two-time heavyweight world champion immediately called for a fight with Joshua – but the latter refused to commit to fighting his long-time foe.
Joshua’s promoter, Hearn, did provide a rather positive update recently, insisting that Joshua is eyeing up a return in the coming months before taking on Fury twice – with the two fights set to land on DAZN and Netflix. “AJ’s going to fight in July,” the Matchroom chief told iFL TV.
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“It’s going to be someone where I don’t think you guys are going to look at it and go ‘wow’. I think so (it’s going to be criticised). Makhmudov was criticised and I thought Makhmudov was a very fair comeback opponent. He didn’t really cause any trouble on the night but he’s a decent fighter.
“We’re looking at a few guys, I’m not going to mention their names but they’re all dangerous. If AJ’s not physically or mentally ready, it will be a very dangerous fight but it’s also a comeback fight after some quite severe injuries and a very traumatic time in his life. We only have a fight like that if we have signed to fight Tyson Fury.
He added: “If we take a fight like this, the good news is we have signed to fight Tyson Fury. All you’ve got to do is bite your fingernails in July for 36 minutes or less and you’ve got the fight of all time.”
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There were whispers of the mouthwatering domestic dust-up taking place in Dublin at Croke Park, but Hearn insists the fight will take place wherever Turki Alalshikh wants it ‘to land.’ “We had a wonderful meeting with Croke Park. I said to them, originally, when the fight might take place in the summer, Croke Park was mentioned. To be honest, the fight will land wherever His Excellency wants the fight to land.
“At the end of the day, myself, AJ, Tyson Fury, we’ll have a contract where His Excellency is basically funding the fight. It’s up to him where it is. Now, he also wants to make history. He is not going to put it in some random place. He wants this to deliver for the fans what it is – which is the biggest fight in the history of our country. I am hopeful that the fight takes place in the UK.
He added: “I would think that the November fight, or whatever it will be, will promoted by Sela because obviously you have got Matchroom and you have got Goldstar and Frank Warren and Tyson Fury. So, I do not think Tyson Fury is going to want Matchroom to promote the event, and I think AJ is not going to want Tyson Fury’s team to promote the event. But, that’s it, we have not signed yet. The first fight (will land on DAZN). And the second fight could possibly land on Netflix. But again, conversations for His Excellency.”
