Tyson Fury isn’t certain that Anthony Joshua wants to fight him.
Joshua was asked after he knocked out Kubrat Pulev on Saturday in London whether he wants to face Fury in a heavyweight title-unification bout next and, for some reason, he didn’t provide a direct answer.
“Well, there you go, everyone,” Fury said on a video posted on Instagram and Twitter. “Anthony Joshua just s— his self live on television. He got asked did he want the fight, and he went around the bushes and put his ass in the edge.
“I want the fight! I want the fight next! I’ll knock him out inside three rounds! He’s a big bum dosser. Can’t wait to knock him out.”
Joshua repeated a new mantra – “less talk, more action” – but that doesn’t explain why he didn’t express enthusiasm about a showdown with his countryman.
“You ask the crowd what they want to see. I’m up for anything. Look at the resume,” Joshua told the Sky Sports interviewer, referring to the estimated 1,000 spectators.
“OK, who wants to see Anthony Joshua fight Tyson Fury in 2021?” the interviewer asked the fans, whose wild cheers made their preference clear.
“Look, when I started in this game in 2013, I’ve been chasing all the belts, dealing with mandatories,” Joshua said. “Of course, I want a challenge. It’s not about the opponent. It’s about legacy and the belt. Whoever has the belt, I want to compete with them.
“If that’s Tyson Fury, let it be Tyson Fury. The road to the undisputed is almost clear right now.”
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Promoter Eddie Hearn, standing beside Joshua during the interview, also served up the mantra but was more direct in his sentiments.
“Since he [first] came into the office he wanted to be undisputed champion,” Hearn said. “We’re going to be friendly, we’re going to be nice. We know what we have to do. Starting tomorrow we make the Tyson Fury fight straight away. It’s the only fight to be made in boxing, it’s the biggest fight in boxing, it’s the biggest fight in British boxing history.
“I know [Joshua] wants it. He’s the best heavyweight in the world, I promise you. He’ll break him down, knock him out. … We know what we have to do. It’s about legacy. Let’s get it done.”
Meanwhile, Bob Arum, Fury’s co-promoter, indicated that talks are either underway or about to begin.
Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix tweeted: “Arum says he has spoken to @EddieHearn multiple times this week about closing a deal. Arum says both sides have agreed to the ‘mechanics’ of a 50-50 deal.”
Arum tweeted: “It looks like the stage is set for the biggest Heavyweight championship fight since Ali-Frazier in 1971, when @Tyson_Fury meets @anthonyfjoshua for the undisputed crown. We at Top Rank will start Monday working to put that fight together.”