Joshua promoter wants to set up Fury fight

LONDON: Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said he wants to see his fighter take on controversial former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in an all-British showdown next year.

Joshua, 28, successfully defended his IBF and WBA heavyweight titles against Carlos Takam in Cardiff on Saturday and either WBO champion Joseph Parker or WBC champion Deontay Wilder appear the most likely next opponents.

Hearn has not ruled out the pros- pect of a headline-grabbing bout with Fury, who is still waiting for a final ruling from UK Anti-Doping on a suspended drugs ban after the hearing was adjourned in July.

“I think the Wilder fight is potentially one of the biggest in world boxing and I think that fight is realistically going to happen in the summer of 2018,” he told BBC Radio.

“But Tyson Fury is a guy who we’d love to see come into the sport. Whether that’ll happen or not is another issue. “The problem for him is to overcome the governing body and UK Anti-Doping.”

Fury, whose licence was suspended by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) last October, has not fought since beating Wladimir Klitschko to win the IBF, WBA and WBO titles in November 2015.

Earlier this month, the 29-yearold Fury said he would not reapply to the BBBofC for the right to fight again, further reducing the chances of a return.