Eddie Hearn has shared that negotiations for the highly anticipated fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are progressing well, bringing the matchup closer to reality.
Joshua is gearing up for his return to the boxing ring in July after a hiatus following his impressive knockout victory over Jake Paul in December. His comeback was delayed due to a car accident shortly after his win. During his break, Joshua has been training with Oleksandr Usyk, a former rival turned friend. He made his first public appearance in the UK since the accident at Derek Chisora’s fight with Deontay Wilder.
Recently, Joshua attended Fury’s match against Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham, where Fury secured a convincing win. Fury wasted no time in calling out Joshua for a fight, but Joshua hesitated to commit to facing his long-standing rival.
Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, shared a positive update, hinting that Joshua is looking to return to the ring in the upcoming months before facing Fury twice. The fights are expected to be broadcast on DAZN and Netflix. According to Hearn, Joshua’s upcoming opponent for July’s fight will be challenging, emphasizing the significance of Joshua’s comeback after facing severe injuries and personal challenges.
While there were talks of the fight potentially happening in Dublin at Croke Park, Hearn mentioned that the fight’s location would ultimately be decided by Turki Alalshikh. The funding for the fight is expected to come from Alalshikh, and the goal is to make it a historic event for boxing fans. Hearn expressed hope that the fight would take place in the UK.
Regarding the promotion of the fight, Hearn suggested that the first fight would likely be promoted by Sela, as Matchroom, Goldstar, and Frank Warren are involved. He also hinted at the possibility of the second fight being featured on Netflix. However, final decisions regarding the event organization are pending approval from Alalshikh.