If Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua fail to finish their fight this week, Germany-based Syrian Mahmoud Charr is ready to save the day, Elliot Worsell writes.
AS heavyweights Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua spend the first part of this week discussing or denying the possibility of fighting in December, one man as interested in developments as anyone is Syrian Mahmoud Charr, who is based in Germany.
An unlikely third wheel in this charade, Charr has become a potential opponent for Fury should the Joshua fight fall apart and states that in the event of disappointment, he is more than ready to step in.
“I hope so,” he told Boxing News today (Sept. 26). “I am waiting to see if Anthony Joshua responds and signs for that fight. I think if he doesn’t, Tyson Fury has to fight me. I’m ready.
“I have a signed deal to fight all three of Frank Warren’s (heavyweight) fighters. I have the option to fight these three fighters: Tyson Fury, Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce. I’m ready to fight any of them, but Tyson Fury is the first one I would pick. I want Tyson Fury.”
Known as “Diamond Boy,” Charr is now 37 years old and has a professional record of 33-4 (19). He is not, despite claims of him and a five-fight win streak, the opponent the world would like to see Tyson Fury share a ring with, but that, he says, is beside the point. All that matters, as far as Charr is concerned, is that he gets the opportunity he has been looking for since he agreed to fight another big name British heavyweight, David Haye, in 2013.
“My history in England is very long,” Charr explained. “I have tried to fight many times in England. The first time was against David Haye, but twice David Haye called off the fight. I was there twice for press conferences.
“I was so happy to fight in the UK because I know the UK will love me. The UK wants real fighters and I am a real fighter. When he was going to fight David Haye, he thought he would be the next ‘Prince’ Naseem (Hamed) there. He would be the first Arab heavyweight champion of the world and would try to make the same impact as Prince Naseem. But whatever. Now the moment with Tyson Fury is coming and I hope the fight will be in Manchester or Cardiff.”
Though Charr makes it seem like a collision course, or fate in some way, one assumes that Fury will have options other than Mahmoud Charr if the Joshua fight, as expected, collapses under the weight of the myriad egos involved. On the other hand, given the fact that he knows more about the situation than we do, maybe Charr is right and the rest of us are wrong.
“He can’t find another opponent,” Charr said, sure of it. “I am the only opponent he can fight. He has beaten Dillian Whyte in the last one. Who else is there to fight? I was the WBA (regular) champion from 2017 to 2021 (albeit a belt he never defended). I won my last five fights. I think I’m the number one contender for him. I fought (Vitali) Klitschko for the WBC title and Povetkin for the WBC contender (place). I have fought with many people. He has to fight me. I don’t think he can fight anyone else.
As for Joshua, apparently the only man keeping Charr from securing his target, Charr had this to say: “Joshua can’t fight him. Joshua is mentally broken. He is coming off two losses. If Eddie Hearn (Joshua’s promoter) accepts this fight, he has to find another job. He must change his business from boxing promoter.
“I wouldn’t let Joshua fight Fury because he’s mentally broken. In this fight, Tyson Fury would hurt him very, very badly. Joshua needs two or three fights to come back.
“Joshua lost to a cruiserweight (Oleksandr Usyk) twice, not a heavyweight, remember. We can’t forget that. He lost twice to the best cruiserweight fighter. Fury is a great super heavyweight. You don’t stand a chance against him. AJ now needs to recover, win two or three fights, and then he can fight Fury at the end of next year.
Charr, meanwhile, is currently playing the waiting game. He’s already training for a Fury fight, which he hopes will happen on December 3, and says he’s more than ready to sign whatever contract comes his way in the coming days or weeks, even stating he’d take the fight for “free.” if that would guarantee that it would be done.
“If AJ signs (to fight Fury), he signs,” Charr said. “If not, give me the fight, Fury. Do not be afraid. You promised me twice that you would fight me. You can see on YouTube when I met him in Cologne, Germany, I challenged him and he said that he wanted to fight me. In other interviews he also says that he wants to fight me. On Instagram, he says that he wants to fight me. If he doesn’t fight me now, he’s avoiding me. If he picks another guy, he’s dodging me.
“I will fight for free. I am a true fighter. I’m not looking for shitty money. I am looking for legacy. Some people are in boxing as a business, but I’m not. I’m looking for real fights.”
A testament to his confidence, both in terms of getting the Fury fight and beating him, Charr has already started planning a UK residency next year. In addition to this, he has come up with a nickname that he would like to adopt as he settles down on English soil.
“I will shock the world and beat Tyson Fury very badly,” he said. “Then after that, I’ll deal with Anthony Joshua, and then I’ll deal with Joe Joyce, Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora. I’ll beat up six or seven UK heavyweights and people will call me ‘King Charr’.”
