Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has shed light on the ongoing negotiations for an all-British heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. The two heavyweight stars have long been tipped to square off, and despite recent career setbacks, a 2025 showdown remains a possibility.
Fury, known as the ‘Gypsy King,’ suffered consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk last month, putting his career at a crossroads. Meanwhile, Anthony Joshua, a two-time world champion, faced a brutal knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September.
While both fighters were once expected to meet in a high-stakes world title unification bout at the peak of their careers, the timing never aligned. Reflecting on this, Hearn explained the missed opportunity.
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“The time it was going to happen, which was the time we signed for the fight, was when Tyson had his arbitration with Deontay Wilder for the rematch. We signed up to fight Tyson Fury, and I believe Tyson was going to fight Anthony Joshua, but through the court ruling, he had to fight Wilder. That was taken out of our hands,” Hearn told Betfred.
Despite speculation that both fighters are past their primes, Hearn rejected the notion, emphasising that both remain elite heavyweights.
“Timing’s everything, and I still believe both fighters are close to the prime of their careers. I know Tyson got beat, but he got beat by Usyk in a close fight. There’s no shame in that, and he’s still a great fighter. AJ’s still a brilliant heavyweight. So I think it’s a tremendous clash, and right now, it’s very difficult to pick a winner, which is, of course, enthralling for boxing fans,” Hearn remarked.
When asked if negotiations had begun for the fight, Hearn admitted that talks were in their infancy but expressed optimism.
“It’s not something that we’ve talked through yet. We’re only a couple of weeks on from Tyson Fury’s defeat to Oleksandr Usyk. If he does want to continue fighting, which I presume he does, then it’s an obvious fight to make. It’s the biggest fight in the sport still, and you get people telling you that it isn’t, but tell me a bigger fight? There isn’t one.”
Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh, speaking to The Stomping Ground, outlined ambitious plans for the heavyweight division. Alalshikh is eager to stage a Joshua vs. Fury showdown.
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