Fury’s promoter prefers Joshua fight to Wilder rematch
Tyson Fury’s promoter Frank Warren says he would prefer to see the newly crowned WBC heavyweight champion in a unification match with Anthony Joshua for his next fight, but accepts that they will first have to persuade Deontay Wilder to forgo an immediate rematch.
Fury produced arguably the greatest performance by any British heavyweight on foreign soil to dismantle the previously unbeaten Wilder over seven brutal rounds at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas on Saturday.
While Wilder has told US media he will activate a rematch clause for a third installment with Fury – their first fight in December 2018 ended in a split-decision draw – Warren said he does not want to delay a mouth-watering match-up with Joshua, who holds the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO belts.
“I prefer to go straight to Joshua but that’s the contract,” Warren told the BBC. “If he [Wilder] insists on the fight, we’re locked into it.
“It has to be honoured unless we reach some accommodation for him to step aside. We could pay him to step aside if he wants to do that, but that’s his choice.
“It would be lucrative for him, but I have spoken to his manager and Deontay does believe he has the beating of Tyson, and he can knock him out,” Warren said. “I don’t believe that. I fancied Tyson to stop him before the fight at the weekend.”
While Warren attends to those negotiations – Wilder has just under 30 days to activate the rematch clause – Eddie Hearn, who promotes Joshua’s interests, says he is determined to fix a heavyweight title showdown between his client and
Fury. Hearn told Sky Sports he would do everything possible to agree a deal, and both sides would be “clowns” and “idiots” if they did not make the fight happen.
He warned, however, that while both men would want the fight to be in Britain, the money coming from overseas
– with Saudi Arabia, scene of Joshua’s victory over Andy Ruiz Jr last December emerging as a front-runner – might be too much to turn down.
“Everybody is very clear on this. Everybody wants this fight – Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, MTK, Top Rank, Frank Warren, Matchroom,” said Hearn, referring to those involved on both sides.
“There are some hurdles to overcome on the broadcasting, but nothing too much. I promise you this fight will happen.”
Talks are ongoing for Joshua to fight mandatory IBF challenger Kubrat Pulev, of Bulgaria, next, with Hearn saying this month it was likely to be at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London in June.
“If we have to fight Pulev, we’ve got to beat Pulev, and if he [Fury] has to fight Wilder, he’s got to beat Wilder again,” Hearn said. “Both of those things will happen. Fury will beat Wilder again and Joshua will knock Pulev clean out.
“You will get this fight. We will do everything that it takes to make this fight. Last time, you had us and Team Wilder, and we were locking heads. Right now, you have two guys and two camps that genuinely want this fight; it is the only fight.”