Promoter Eddie Hearn has insisted that this weekend’s deadline to agree the undisputed heavyweight title fight between rival champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury is not a deal breaker and that the long-awaited showdown remains close to fruition.
The two-fight series was agreed in principle last year, but the rival camps gave themselves a 28-day deadline to determine a venue and date. That deadline is due to elapse this weekend with Fury’s social media posts of ‘tick tock’ prompting concern of an imminent ‘no deal’ scenario.
Joshua’s promoter Hearn insists this is not the case and says the 28-day period was a self-enforced deadline before the various site deals and venues were presented to the fighters. A July 24 date still remains likely.
“It’s a self-inflicted deadline from both teams that we agreed that should give us enough time to secure it,” Hearn told The Sun.
“Both teams will have the options presented to them this weekend, so there will be discussions early next week.
“We’ll say, ‘We like that one’ or ‘We’d like a bit more money’. All these different things are yet to be discussed. We’ll work together and say well this is the option, let’s go.
“We’re very close and we’re around the numbers which I think gets this done. I think once it’s presented, I think we’ll be fine.”
Feature image: Matchroom Boxing/Mark Robinson