AJ V FURY IS AS BIG AS THE ALI CLASSICS
BARRY HEARN has no doubts Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight mega-fight with Tyson Fury will be one of the biggest sporting spectacles EVER.
Britain’s world champions have penned a staggering £200million two-fight deal for their hugely-anticipated clash of the titans.
And Hearn, who remembers Muhammad Ali’s famous 1975 ‘Thrilla in Manilla’ against Joe Frazier and the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ clash with George Foreman a year earlier, believes this bruising bout will be one for the ages.
The successful promoter (centre)even joked the super-fight could surpass England’s hallowed 1966 World Cup final win.
“I think it will be one of those memory moments,” admitted Hearn.
“This is a truly global phenomenon event. It’s one of the biggest sporting events ever.
“You put it alongside Ali-frazier, Ali-foreman, because the whole world will be watching.
“Football is the most famous sport of all and for me ’66 you thought ‘wow, I can’t wait for the next one’ and I ain’t seen one since!
“Boxing, because of the dramatic nature of the sport, gives you memories where you ask ‘where were you when Nigel Benn fought Chris Eubank in 1990? or when Lennox Lewis fought Frank Bruno?’
“These are all massive sporting events but they all pale in comparison to the scale of Anthony Joshua versus Tyson Fury.”
Undefeated Fury, 32, stated he has stopped training and is drinking up to a dozen pints a night until a fight date is confirmed.
But Hearn stressed AJ (left), 31, who is managed by his son Eddie, will not get drawn into the pre-fight antics of Fury (below) and is only worried about knocking out his rival to become the undisputed champion.
“If I believed that of Tyson Fury then I’d look out of my window and it’d already be dark,” added Hearn.
“Joshua is a lot more laid back in his preparation than Tyson. Can you imagine Joshua coming out and saying ‘I’m drinking 12 pints of Stella a day’.
“One of the fascinating things is they’re such different people.
“Tyson’s an entertainer but Joshua knows his role in this soap opera is to close the show.
“He doesn’t need to worry about what Tyson says, the odds, or if Tyson dresses up as Superman – all he cares about is closing the show.”