Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua negotiations nearly complete, says Eddie Hearn
‘AJ’ was coy this month when he was called out by Fury while sitting ringside for the latter’s comeback fight
Eddie Hearn has said Anthony Joshua is negotiating the “final points” on a contract to fight Tyson Fury later this year. On 11 April, Joshua sat ringside as Fury made a winning return to boxing after 16 months away, but “AJ” was coy when called out by his fellow British heavyweight . However, Hearn soon revealed that Joshua, 36, was simply keen to focus on actual negotiations over the fight – talks that are nearing completion, according to the Matchroom promoter.
Anthony Joshua (left) with his promoter Eddie Hearn in early April (PA) Earlier this month, Hearn told The Independent and other outlets that Joshua would almost certainly box another opponent in July before facing Fury, 37, towards the end of the year. And Hearn has doubled down on this plan while providing his latest update. “We will have a contract, and we haven’t signed a contract yet, but we are negotiating the final points in an agreement to come back to the ring in July and [then] fight Tyson Fury,” Hearn told iFL TV .
“Once we sign up for that agreement, it is over to [Saudi adviser Turki Alalshikh] for the staging. We will be promoting for July; I would think that the November fight or whatever it will be, will be promoted by [Saudi company] Sela. “The good news is: if we take a [warm-up] fight like this, we have signed to fight Tyson Fury, and all you’ve got to do is bite your fingernails in July for 36 minutes or less and you’ve got not the fight of the century – the fight of all-time.
“Myself and AJ, Tyson Fury, we’ll have a contract where [Alalshikh] is basically funding the fight. It’s up to him where it is. “Now, he also wants to make history; he is not going to put it in some random place.