Eddie Hearn is as positive as he’s ever been that we’ll see a fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury this year.
The boxing promoter has revealed that, since Fury’s win over Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas, he’s been in talks with Fury’s manager Bob Arum, and thinks a deal can be done for the two to meet at the end of this year after their already scheduled bouts.
“The great thing is that [Fury vs Wilder 3) is in July and we box in June,” Hearn said, speaking to Sky Sports News. “Now our intention — and conversations are ongoing — is to finalise the Fury vs Joshua fight for December of this year. There’s no reason not to get that contracted now, subject to both guys winning in the summer.”
At the moment, Joshua is set to meet Kubrat Pulev in June in London, while Fury is scheduled to rematch Wilder once again in July. Should both men be victorious, Hearn believes there are no more roadblocks to stopping a unification fight.
“We had numerous conversations with Bob Arum at Top Rank over making Joshua vs Fury,” Hearn said. “But we know that once Wilder exercised that rematch clause, that fight would be made. We understand Wilder wants to win his belt back. The proudness and ego of Wilder meant it was very unlikely. He’s not stepping aside, he wants this rematch with Fury. The undisputed fight must happen in 2020.”
While the location of Joshua vs. Fury will no doubt be heavily scrutinised, with America and Saudi Arabia both potential contenders to play host, Hearn believes a solution must at least be attempted to hold the contest in the United Kingdom.
“Joshua and Fury are certainly going to be boxing twice [or a] trilogy,” Hearn said. “That’s part of the deal that we are looking to do ASAP — a two-fight agreement with Fury and Arum at the end of this year then summer 2021.
“We must try and do that fight in the UK. Ask AJ and Fury where they would like it, and they would say the UK. We know there will be huge offers from around the world. Our priority is to try and make this fight in the UK.
“There will be two of these, maybe three, so certainly summer 2021 we’ll get one in the UK. I would love to make the first one in the UK because we’ve got two British world champions who will fight for the undisputed title – this is never going to happen again. To do it in the UK would be very special.”
