What started out as WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury once again bragging on social media about a potential opponent now appears to have at least advanced to the discussion stage. This, as Fury and Anthony Joshua’s promoters have now confirmed there are ongoing talks and an initial offer for Fury to defend his title against former unified champion Joshua before the end of the year.
First here was Fury in a video message on Monday making an offer to fight Joshua,
Call @anthonyjoshua @WBCBoxing @frankwarren_tv @trboxing #uk ????✅pic.twitter.com/P4Yw4mtW1R
— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) September 5, 2022
However, as we know, Fury has been prone to making similar videos and offers on social media to other wrestlers, including one for journeyman contender Derek Chisora last month. That fight was quickly discredited by Fury’s American promoter, Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who told our Dan Rafael that Fury likes to just “get up in the morning. He thinks what kind of shit to stir up and says what he thinks.”
However, the potential battle with the other UK star seems to have a lot more legitimacy.
To that end, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, who is licking his wounds along with Joshua after his latest loss in a rematch with Olesandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia last month, confirmed to Talksport that there was an initial offer to buy. the Fury camp for a possible defensive Fury against your fighter.
Joshua, now 24-3, has lost three of his last five fights and his star power/marketability is now down.
Still, it would be another “rebound” opportunity for Joshua, and Hearn went on to say that he believed the fight would be December 10 or 17 in the UK, if it happens.
Then Fury’s other/original promoter, Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions, appeared on Talksport’s midday TV and radio simulcast on Tuesday. There, he confirmed what Hearn had been saying about a formal offer for Joshua’s camp. Warren was even speeding up the fight timeline as if it was potentially November.
✅ “We will send you a written offer to [AJ’s camp] This day.”
???????? “It will be in the UK and hopefully in November, that’s what we’re looking at.” @FrankWarren_TV confirms his team will bid to set up @Tyson_Fury vs @AnthonyJoshua ???? pic.twitter.com/3Jkq5LwZ88
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) September 6, 2022
Fury, 32-0-1, has just made his second successful title defense in April in front of a UK record over 94,000 fans at Wembley Stadium. That night he dispatched contender Dillian Whyte with a big seventh-round KO.
While the desire would be to hold a possible Fury-Joshua fight in a huge outdoor arena like Wembley, it would be problematic as winter hours could hurt ticket sales and affect fighters.
Furthermore, these discussions, as public as they have become, are just that: discussions. And, if Joshua disagrees with what is guaranteed to be the lopsided split of the bag in Fury’s favor, then the proposed Fury-Joshua just generates good conversation and topics on the internet.
Instead, everyone realizes that what Fury would really want is an ultimate showdown with the WBA/IBF/WBO champion and the undefeated Usyk, to finally become the undisputed heavyweight champion. Usyk has publicly maintained that he wants to fight Fury late this year or early next year.
However, that fight may be more difficult to agree on financially. This, as Usyk would demand a much larger guaranteed payday than Britain’s Joshua, who once again has neither belt and therefore no leverage.
