WBC heavyweight king Tyson Fury should fight Anthony Joshua next and not waste his time with a less significant fight, according to AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn.
After stating the contract had expired, Fury withdrew from a trilogy fight with old rival Deontay Wilder and appeared set to face German Agit Kabayel on December 5 before that contest also fell by the wayside.
Wilder is still attempting to enforce a trilogy clash by legal means, but Fury has no official date lined up with a two-fight series against Joshua provisionally agreed for 2021. Joshua’s promoter Hearn believes Fury should take no risks and jump straight into that unification bout, assuming AJ defeats IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev on December 12.
“We have the dynamics of the deal in place,” Hearn told Sky Sports. “I don’t want to hear [from] Fury: ‘No, I’m thinking about fighting in March or April.’ Why? Just go straight into the AJ fight. It’s going to be the same timeframe.
“He boxed in February. It’s not like he’s been out and he didn’t box in 2020. Listen, Fury doesn’t want to take a small fight. They couldn’t even get the money together to give him a fight in December, so let’s give him plenty of money. Let’s give him the biggest fight.
“Fury wants to fight AJ, unquestionably, and AJ wants to fight Fury. It’s no conversation to be had until AJ’s hand is raised on December 12. Once that is made, let’s get it on. Let’s give everyone the fight they want and deserve.
“Not one person in the [Joshua] camp is talking about Fury. I just know that if he deals with Pulev, the only fight, the only job that I’ve got is to make that fight with Fury immediately.”