Despite only a select number of people being around the negotiating table, everybody in boxing has an opinion on who’s at fault for the once productive talks about a Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua fight falling apart.
The two British heavyweights, long-considered the best the country has to offer, were set to fight on December 3 in Cardiff after a call out from Fury on social media. Joshua, to some surprise, accepted. Even more surprising still was that he ordered his team to accept Fury’s general terms without argument.
All positive right? Wrong. As the days became weeks, deadlines were set and missed, and now it looks less likely than ever that ‘AJ’ will challenge for ‘The Gypsy King’s WBC belt this year.
Boxing insider and journalist, Gareth A Davies, recently said that he sensed there was a bit of ‘backing out’ going on. When pressed on which side he felt were walking away, he answered Joshua and his promoter, Eddie Hearn. It just so happens that the two men ended up at the same media event this evening, where Hearn had a chance to hear more about Davies’ theory.
As captured by Boxing Social, the debate was heated but remained civil – although Hearn did take issue with the journalist’s views on the matter.
“I just saw the comments and it was like, according to you, everyone else wanted the fight apart from me. And by the way, I believe Queensbury wanted the fight, and I also believe that Fury would take the fight.”
“I didn’t mind him taking the fight. What people have to understand is I have no say. No say. I would say to AJ look, Fury’s been on. He’s offered you 60/40 and 50/50 in the rematch. We went back and we said 60/40 in the rematch and December 17. They came back and went, ‘No – this is the deal, take it or leave it.’ He went ‘f**k it, I’ll do it’ and I said let’s do it.”
Davies responded by suggesting that his comments were a bit deeper than what the headlines had suggested. Jokingly, he asked if a scuffle out on the street was the only way to settle it – but the difference in weight classes ultimately ruled that out. You can watch the full exchange below.