Mass confusion appeared to hit ringside at the same time shortly after Tyson Fury’s dominant win over Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on April 11.
Fury got so comfortable in his comeback bout that he even showboated against fellow giant Makhmudov, en route to flawless if uninspiring victory Saturday atop a Spencer Brown-promoted card on Netflix.
It now begs the question what’s next.
And, judging from the way in which boxing financier Turki Alalshikh spoke to Matchroom chairman Eddie Hearn, and from Fury’s call-out of Anthony Joshua, who was sat ringside, it appeared a long-awaited fight between the career long British rivals was finally going to come to fruition.
But Hearn and Joshua barely responded.
It was as if nobody was reading from the same script.
Hearn didn’t seem to know what to do, and Joshua failed to get into the ring despite Fury’s demands. He listed various reasons why fighting Fury next wasn’t a simple yes or no answer.
Considering the packed venue, it was not long before fan response could be measured in real time.
And, as Fight Hub TV showed, supporters still mobbed Joshua regardless of ambiguity over a prospective all-English super-fight. Joshua was still their king.
Fans online reacted differently. One said that “it’s on Fury to make this fight happen” because, for him, “we all know AJ would fight him tomorrow. He’s not the one who keeps retiring. I wouldn’t be surprised if Fury announces he’s retiring again. I won’t believe it till I see them both in the ring.”
Another fan wasn’t impressed, saying it was all “pathetic” and they “wouldn’t open my curtains if they were fighting in my garden.” Another, though, said he thought Joshua “was being strategic” because “he didn’t want Fury to dictate [terms]. Both think they are the boss, and played it well.”
Regardless, one thing is for sure: Joshua has options. It was only last week, after all, that Deontay Wilder walked past Joshua in the crowd, after the American puncher’s wild, feral, firefight against Derek Chisora, asking AJ if he wanted it.