ANTHONY JOSHUA could've fought Tyson Fury, but chose to fight the Oleksandr Uzyk rematch instead. Eddie Hearn, promoter, has stated.
AJ will rematch Usyk in Saudi Arabia on August 20, as he tries to regain the three world heavyweight titles he has lost in London in September.
Hearn, far left, insists Joshua could have fought Usyk rather than Joshua, right
Fury confirmed that he was putting his hands down after beating Whyte at Wembley
Fury, who had defeated Dillian Whyte at Wembley in April, announced his retirement from boxing.
Hearn, whose promotional firm Matchroom Boxing will promote Usyk–Joshua II insists that AJ would have wanted an all-British showdown with Fury.
He spoke to iFL TV and said that he was most concerned about Tyson Fury fighting Anthony Joshua.
To be completely honest, AJ could have skipped [Usyk] to fight Tyson Fury. Isn't that fight always going to be the biggest boxing fight?
He doesn't want it. He wants his belts back. He believes he can beat Oleksandr Uzyk.
"So, he should get tremendous credit for not only fighting him once, but also going straight back into a rematch."
Hearn insists that an AJ-Fury fight is still on the table, regardless of the outcome in the Usyk rematch. Fury then reacted to Fury's remarks about fighting Joshua for free.
The Gypsy King stated that he would like the highly anticipated heavyweight clash to air on free-toair TV and for both fighters to fight "for people".
AJ vs Usyk 2, date, live stream, and TV channel for blockbuster rematch
Hearn replied, "Tyson Fury is doing a lot of amazing things." One of my greatest skills is the ability speak absolute ******* so people will believe you.
He said that he was not going to retire, and that he needed to be paid PS500million. He then said, "I'll fight Joshua for nothing."
"It doesn’t take a lot of common sense to tell 'that don’t make sense.
Hearn claimed that Fury also contacted Derek Chisora to discuss fighting him in December.
Fury, however, was quoted as saying earlier this week that talks were ongoing regarding a possible exhibition bout against Game of Thrones star Hafthor Bor Bjornsson in London in October.
He stated that it would be fun. It would be amazing to show him boxing, make him miss and knock him out in front of, let's say, 70,000 people.
"We are currently talking to his team and it is definitely something that I'm interested."
