Eddie Hearn thinks he saw enough in Tyson Fury’s split decision win against Francis Ngannou at the weekend to suggest he the world heavyweight champion is ‘done.’
Fury himself admits that it wasn’t a ‘vintage’ performance in the fight with the former UFC champion. He came in at a career heaviest and never got into his usual fluid state of being mobile and landing shots from the outside.
Instead, he was sensationally knocked down in the third round and struggled to ever really get a hold of the fight, with Ngannou boxing patiently on the back foot and staying largely out of trouble.
The prize for Fury was supposed to be an official announcement of his highly-touted December date for the historic undisputed showdown with Oleksandr Usyk and, although the fight will still happen, it is now expected to be sometime early next year once he has had time to rest and recuperate.
Speaking to Boxing Social about the tougher-than-expected fight, Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn suspected Fury was right to have briefly retired last year and wants to make a fight with Anthony Joshua before it’s too late.
“Fury’s had a long career. When he retired before maybe he knew he wasn’t quite the fighter he was. I just would be devastated if we never got [AJ versus Fury.]”
He went on to say he thinks ‘The Gypsy King’s punch resistance might have gone.
“I think he’s done, I do. No disrespect, I think he’s amazing for boxing. But that left hook wasn’t even on the chin. It was a brushing shot and it put him over. If Joshua is in there tonight he beats Tyson Fury seven days a week and twice on a Sunday.”
As desperate as he is for Joshua to face off with Fury, the undisputed fight with Usyk is contracted so must happen next, though quite when nobody is sure.