The card held this past Saturday, April 11, at Tottenham Stadium and broadcast live on Netflix was headlined by Tyson Fury’s return to action after a 16 month layoff. The former heavyweight champion delivered a dominant performance, earning a wide unanimous decision over Arslanbek Makhmudov, controlling the fight from start to finish in his comeback to the elite stage of the division.
The event had already been building anticipation after Turki Alalshikh hinted during the undercard that a major announcement would close out the night. However, the focus shifted entirely to the ring after the main event concluded.
“He’s not interested if the fight isn’t made,” Hearn told Pro Boxing Fans youtube channel.
With the microphone in hand, Fury turned his attention directly to Anthony Joshua, calling on him to enter the ring for an immediate promotional face-off. Joshua however, declined to step through the ropes. He remained ringside and responded from his position, avoiding the traditional in ring face-off between the two heavyweights, further fueling discussion around a potential all British showdown.
Following the incident, promoter Eddie Hearn addressed Joshua’s decision not to engage in the in ring confrontation, insisting that no formal agreement is currently in place for the fight.
“How many times have we been here before? Years and years, and it’s never happened. Until I see you on the other side of the ring, it’s all hype. He’s always been like that, and that’s why the fight never happened. AJ is simply saying: ‘Look, you need me. You’re calling me, and you’re going to get me.’ Very confident the fight will happen. But for now, nothing is signed.” Hearn declared
Hearn also rejected Fury’s suggestion that Joshua is “terrified” of the matchup, backing AJ to come out on top should the fight eventually be finalized.
“Terrified of what? Tonight? Even Fury fans don’t feel the same energy. They know. I see nothing but an AJ victory,” Hearn added.
According to Hearn, Joshua’s stance is based on previous negotiations that failed to materialize, with his team remaining firm on waiting for a signed agreement before participating in any promotional stunts.
For now, Fury’s successful return and public callout have once again reignited one of boxing’s most talked about potential clashes, but the fight remains dependent on both sides reaching a finalized deal.
