GET IT ON, BOYS Joshua v Fury is fight everyone wants to see after they both crushed it in 2020... and even Iron Mike Tyson made a dramatic return aged 54
AS chants of ‘You big dosser’ echoed around the MGM Grand Garden Arena from Tyson Fury’s fans, the man they were there to support backed WBC heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder into a corner.
A straight right from the Gypsy King – not for the first time – jolted Wilder’s head.
And as he followed up with another right to the head, one to the body and a swinging left hand, the towel that had been in the hands of Mark Breland, one of the American’s trainers, looped up over the ropes and into the ring.
Breland had decided his man had suffered enough in what had been a devastating display from Fury.
One that had seen him school the Bronze Bomber over seven-and-a-half rounds to complete a remarkable turnaround after finding himself on life’s canvas three-and-a-half years earlier, when mental health problems took hold on the back of his first world-title triumph.
February’s victory over Wilder would be the finest performance from a British fighter – arguably any fighter – in 2020.
And it laid the foundations for talks of a clash between Fury and Anthony Joshua, the WBA, IBF and WBO world champion, to begin.
A deal for the pair to fight this year was agreed in principle, but there was still much negotiating to be done.
Since Joshua’s win over Kubrat Pulev in December, however, talks have advanced, with AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn claiming last week that a deal is “close”.
Joshua agreed. “I promise you it’s happening,” he said, with a date in May or June most likely.
Joe Joyce will watch developments with a keen eye after beating rival Daniel Dubois in November to become the European heavyweight champion, with the Londoner looking to be in the mix for a world-title fight at the end of this year or early next.
Billy Joe Saunders’ victory over Martin Murray in December means he remains in line for a clash with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez this year after he beat Liverpool’s Callum Smith last month, although a third encounter with Gennady Golovkin may take precedence for the Mexican.
The chances of Josh Taylor, the WBA and IBF world super-flyweight champion, putting his belts on the line against WBC and WBO champ Jose Ramirez this year continue to be talked up.
While IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington, after enduring a frustrating 2020 that passed without a fight, is ready to announce his next opponent. After years of trash talk between Amir Khan and Kell Brook, fight fans may finally see them meet, following Brook’s November defeat to Terence Crawford.
And, despite their advanced years, it will still generate plenty of interest.
Nowhere near as much, though, as a clash between two real old-timers, Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield.
Talks of their third meeting have intensified after Tyson’s exhibition contest with Roy Jones Jr made an eye-watering £60million — a sum that would be dwarfed by any meeting with Holyfield.
It promises to be a belting year for boxing and, if the only jab that really matters in 2021 does the business, fight fans may even find themselves a part of a proper crowd in the not-too-distant future.