Negotiations for a proposed superfight between two of the greatest boxers in British history have consistently stalled for a number of years.
At Wembley Stadium on Saturday, Joshua, 34, will battle Daniel Dubois for the IBF title; in the December rematch, Fury, 36, will face Oleksandr Usyk, the holder of the three other recognized world belts.
“I do think AJ-Fury will happen regardless of whether Fury wins or not, but the size of the fight depends on their next two results,” Hearn stated to Sport.
Although Joshua stated he would not “sit around and wait” for his fellow British heavyweight, Fury, he pushed Joshua to fight him while both boxers are still “fresh” in June.
When asked if there is a deadline for next year, Hearn from Matchroom said, “Yes, definitely.”
With Saudi Arabia making a significant investment in boxing, there is renewed optimism that the match will eventually go place.
Should AJ defeat Dubois and Fury triumph over Usyk, the match could be the greatest in sports history. It’s still a monster fight if one loses and the other prevails, according to Hearn.
