AJ FEARS FURY DATE NOW KO’D
ANTHONY JOSHUA is worried he will never get the chance to fight Tyson Fury after their summer showdown collapsed.
That is the view of Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn, who was furious when Deontay Wilder won an arbitration case to fight Fury for a third time.
It left the all-British undisputed heavyweight clash in tatters and meant AJ now faces WBO mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk.
Hearn said: “He never felt they wanted the fight, he never felt like Fury wanted it.
“He always doubted it and when it fell through he was like ‘I f ***** g knew it, you’re f ***** g jokes, all of you.’
“It was very strange to see AJ react on Twitter and he fired a few out – he usually does one and goes quiet.
“AJ, in his head, probably thinks the fight will never happen. I’d like to be more hopeful and I think it will.
“If AJ knocks out Usyk and Fury knocks out Wilder then, in four months time, we are talking about an even bigger fight.
“One could lose or look bad, but I do get the feeling if they both win then the fight is huge. I am hoping it works out for the best.”
WBC champion Fury (above) will face Wilder on July 24 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas while WBA, IBF and WBO title holder Joshua will take on Usyk on September 18 or 25 at Wembley or the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“We just hope that everywhere is open because we want to do 60-70,000 at Spurs,” added Hearn.
He was speaking yesterday at the launch of his three-date Fight Camp series which will kick off on July 29 as part of his new TV deal with DAZN.
Conor Benn will headline the first show against Adrian Granados at the former Hearn family home in Brentwood, Essex after penning a new five-fight deal with Matchroom.
Hearn said: “We have mapped out a plan to take him to the world title over five fights so by the end of next year he will fight for the world title.”