Eddie Hearn says he would be shocked if an undisputed heavyweight title clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury didn’t happen next year, assuming both champions win their upcoming fights against Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury respectively.
After months of tireless negotiations, Joshua’s promoter saw the heavyweight mega-fight fall at the last hurdle in May when an arbitrator ruled that WBC champion Fury must fulfil a previously contracted third bout with Wilder. Joshua-Fury had been on the brink of being finalised for Saudi Arabia in August, but the ruling meant WBA Super, WBO and IBF king AJ had to oblige WBO No.1 contender Usyk next to keep his belts together.
Hearn still believes Joshua-Fury will become a reality next year if his fighter defeats Usyk this weekend at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the Gypsy King trumps Wilder two weeks later at the T-Mobile Arena on October 9.
Yet the Matchroom boss admitted he had not been encouraged by Fury’s team in their previous negotiations to find a financial backer and a common ground.
“I had zero support from Fury’s team to get that fight made,” Hearn told BBC Sport’s ‘The Final Say’.
“I don’t want to speak badly about Fury’s team, but I don’t trust them. Really, we’ve got to look after ourselves and our own business, which is Oleksandr Usyk. The only thing that matters right now is that fight.
“I believe that Tyson Fury would fight Anthony Joshua. We know it’s the biggest financial fight in boxing. I know for a fact AJ would fight Tyson Fury. I would be shocked if both won their upcoming fights and we didn’t see that fight.”