Eddie Hearn is puzzled by the actions of Deontay Wilder and his camp after Tyson Fury elected to move on to a new fight in December, but he believes it makes a Fury fight against Anthony Joshua inevitable.
Fury is reportedly close to confirming a fight on Dec. 5 against Carlos Takam or Agit Kabayel after hopes for a third Fury-Wilder fight this year were abandoned.
The Matchroom promoter said on the DAZN show “Boxing with Chris Mannix” that he could not understand what had happened with the Bronze Bomber.
“Looking at Fury-Wilder, it’s just weird. We haven’t heard from Deontay Wilder,” he said. “Every fighter that I’ve ever worked with, in that scenario, would not be able to sleep until they’d avenged that loss.
“When Anthony Joshua lost to Andy Ruiz, there were ups and downs to get him back in the ring but I would not let it lie. The rematch was all he wanted. He dedicated that period of his life to get revenge, to get those belts back.”
Wilder has been conspicuously quiet since Fury’s announcement that he has “moved on” and considers the rematch clause in his contract with Wilder to be expired.
“Something doesn’t smell right,” Hearn said. “You have to show a willingness, and that’s probably one of the reasons why Fury said, ‘We haven’t even heard from the other side.’
“I don’t understand how you can let a rematch clause expire like that when it’s so important for the future of the fighter. Surely a contract in a force majeure situation like a pandemic doesn’t just evaporate into thin air.
“If it does, it’s a complete disaster, because Wilder’s not going to get another shot for years.”
Hearn welcomed the developments because it appears to clear the calendar for the long-awaited clash between Fury and Joshua, who Hearn promotes.
“Great news for us,” Hearn said. “Fury is expected to have a very easy fight in December, and Anthony Joshua has a fight he’s favorite in, but a tough fight, against Kubrat Pulev. Before we had two hurdles to jump, now just A.J.-Pulev.”
Hearn sees no problems in the remaining negotiations between the parties.
“When we go back to the willingness of people to make fights, there isn’t one person on the team of Tyson Fury that doesn’t want to fight Anthony Joshua, and the feeling is 100 percent mutual. It’s the only fight Anthony Joshua wants,” he said.
He then confirmed that Fury’s co-promoter Bob Arum is just as keen to finalize the fight once the Pulev challenge is concluded.
“I spoke to Bob on Friday night, he said, ‘Let’s just sort out what we’re doing in December,'” Hearn said. “It’s not really difficult. We’ve agreed the financial terms of the fight already. There are a couple of minor broadcast details, where is it going to take place, and that’s it.
“I can’t see anything getting in the way of that fight.”
Hearn also sees a way for the fight to be a true undisputed event. Mandatory WBO fighter Oleksandr Usyk will be entitled to fight Joshua next year if he beats Derek Chisora. The promoter suggested that Joshua would vacate the belt to ensure he makes the Fury fight. However, Hearn said, “If Chisora manages to land a haymaker in their match, it would solve the undisputed problem as well.”
“We may have to vacate a belt,” he went on. “Maybe the WBO allows it, maybe Usyk allows it. But it’s really important for us that fight is undisputed. That’s always been the dream of Anthony Joshua.
“But one belt would not mean that fight does not take place. All we’ve got to do is beat Kubrat Pulev.”
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