Hearn denies Joshua, Fury fight signed
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has dismissed reports claiming a blockbuster heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury has already been agreed. He directly contradicted boxing journalist Gareth A Davies, who said the all-British showdown was finalized and headed to Netflix.
Davies told talkSPORT that powerful financial backers had secured the fight behind the scenes. “The Fury-Joshua fight is signed. It’s done in the background. I’ve got that on good authority. It’s with the big money people. It’ll be on Netflix,” he said.
Hearn firmly rejected that claim.
“There is absolutely nothing signed with Anthony Joshua to fight Tyson Fury next. There is nothing agreed,” he stated.
Plans Disrupted by Tragic Accident
Hearn explained that earlier discussions had outlined a clear plan for Joshua before a devastating car accident changed everything.
“There were deep conversations before the accident,” Hearn said. “The plan was for him to fight Jake Paul, then return in February or March in Saudi Arabia, and then face Tyson Fury.”
That plan collapsed after the December 29 crash on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which claimed the lives of Joshua’s close team members—his personal trainer Kevin Ayodele and recovery therapist Sina Ghami. The incident happened just 10 days after Joshua stopped Jake Paul in six rounds in Miami.
Fresh Talks Only Just Beginning
Hearn emphasized that discussions about the Fury fight only recently resumed.
“We haven’t really talked about that fight since the accident,” he said. “Only in the last few days have we started thinking about revisiting the plan.”
Joshua has now returned to training and is targeting a summer comeback.
Possible Return Opponent for Joshua
Dillian Whyte has emerged as a leading candidate for Joshua’s comeback fight. If Joshua wins convincingly, a long-awaited clash with Fury could still happen later in the year.
Fury Set for April Return
Meanwhile, Tyson Fury will return to the ring on April 11. He faces knockout artist Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on a Netflix card that also features Conor Benn.
Fury had announced his retirement more than a year ago but later reversed his decision, setting the stage for another run in the heavyweight division.
Outlook
Although fans are eager for a Joshua vs Fury showdown, no deal is currently in place. Talks have only just restarted, and both fighters remain focused on their respective comeback paths.
