Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua is off the table for this year after Bob Arum accused Eddie Hearn of not wanting the All Brit fight.
The Top Rank boss is in the UK for Claressa Shields vs Savannah Marshall. She talked about an offer made by Fury for late November or early December.
Arum added his views after Fury’s UK promoter Frank Warren said his man doesn’t want to fight on Joshua’s reported preferred date of December 17.
fury against joshua
Fury wants to finish his next event to face Oleksandr Usyk in February 2023. The deadline is December 3, with a deadline today for Joshua to agree.
Joshua also wants a rematch clause that includes a 60-40 split in his favor if he gives Fury the same right in the first meeting.
However, Arum says that despite Hearn being vocal in the media about accepting the fight, all he’s heard from Joshua’s side is crickets.
“I really don’t think the Joshua people are looking forward to doing the fight right now,” Arum told Sky Sports. “Because he has been through a devastating loss.
“I think conventionally Joshua will want a couple of light touches to get back into the swing of things.
“Our boy, Tyson Fury, wants to fight this year. I tried to see if we could get Usyk this year. Apparently they don’t want to do it until February.
“We are going to try to get an opponent for Tyson Fury: Joshua or someone else. To make sure he gets in the ring this year.”
eddie hearn
On Hearn, Arum added: “Eddie Hearn is just talking. Eddie Hearn. If he wanted to fight, he knows me well enough and he knows I’m here.
Meet the Warrens. We haven’t really heard from Eddie Hearn. He is very good at making statements to the press and television.
“But he’s not, I don’t think, looking forward to doing this fight.”
Fury had previously berated Joshua with videos on social media. One said: “This is it now, AJ, don’t panic now.
“Take the fight and let’s give the fans what they want.”
usyk answer
Usyk’s team, represented by manager Egis Klimas, responded to reports that Fury wanted to fight AJ. They want me to wait until next year and fight Usyk next.
Klimas noted: “This is a great way to get away from Usyk. Call others but do not respond to Usyk. Joke!”
Regarding the Usyk fight, Arum said it would happen in the first months of 2023.
“I spoke again yesterday with Usyk’s manager [Egis Klimas], who said, “please don’t rush us. We will do it in the first quarter of next year.”
Fury vs Joshua was never really on the table for many. The hot air just blows in circles. Fury could now face Manuel Charr in Wales at the end of November.
Joshua is more likely to travel to China for the first leg of his world tour to fight Zhilei Zhang.
One thing is for sure; Bob Arum doesn’t think the fight will happen this year. Whether he ever does is another story entirely.
The views expressed in this article are the views of Phil Jay.
WBN editor Phil has over ten years of boxing news experience. He follows WBN on Facebook @officialworldboxingnews and Twitter @worldboxingnews.
