Anthony Joshua could face Tyson Fury in their unification bout as early as this December if Deontay Wilder pulls out of a third fight against the Gypsy King, says AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn.
After losing for the first time in his career to Fury in February, Wilder then made it known that he wishes to enact his rematch clause for a trilogy bout, with a current date for the bout pencilled in for December 19.
Yet Joshua, who also needs to schedule a mandatory fight against Kubrat Pulev, is keen to fight Fury for all the heavyweight belts and Hearn says the fight could happen in just three month’s time should Wilder opt against taking to the ring.
“I am the only one that has put this [the Joshua vs Fury deal for 2021] in writing that the deal is agreed,’ Hearn told IFL TV. So I have already written to their team saying, “Just to let you know, we have agreed to the following deal,” which is agreed.
‘I didn’t actually get a reply, but I believe they do want the fight. So we’re ready for the fight. I saw the comments about December. It’s all very well saying, “Well, if that doesn’t happen in December, I’ll fight you now.”
“We will fight you in December. If the world is ready for that fight, and these offers that are coming in are legit for that period in December, then we don’t have a problem going into that fight.
“But he’s [Fury] under contract for another fight. No, we’re not under contract yet, but we have to agree to terms with Pulev now. We probably will. If Deontay Wilder doesn’t take that rematch, he should retire from boxing. What’s the point? You’ve been a world heavyweight champion, and now you’ve lost.”
A financial agreement was reached earlier this year for two fights in 2021 between Joshua and Fury, which currently would be for the right to be named unified heavyweight champion of the world.
Hearn added that Joshua would be prepared to lose his WBO belt if that facilitated an all-British showdown.
‘We want to have an undisputed fight,’ Hearn said. ‘So by doing that, we fight Pulev, he [Fury] fights Wilder. If we have to drop the WBO belt, then we worry about that then. But AJ doesn’t have a problem with going into that fight [Fury] next. But he understands that his obligation is to fight Pulev.”
“If he doesn’t want to do it, then he loses his belt. Fury’s obligation contractually is to fight Deontay Wilder, and I don’t believe Deontay Wilder is going to let that fight go. If he lets that fight go, he’ll never get another shot at a world title until he’s mandatory.”
