Anthony Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, hopes Tyson Fury will defeat Oleksandr Usyk within the rematch and develop into undisputed heavyweight champion in order that AJ can combat him in an enormous match-up.
Hearn desires Fury to win, however he is aware of deep down it’s unlikely to occur. His imaginative and prescient of a mega-fight between Fury and Joshua isn’t trying good.
Pricing the Dud
Hearn says a combat between Joshua and Fury can occur, even when the Gyspy King loses the rematch with Usyk. That will taint the combat within the eyes of boxing followers, particularly in the event that they’re charged by means of the roof to buy the Fury vs. Joshua combat on PPV.
Who of their proper thoughts would wish to buy a Fury-Joshua combat after a washed-up Fury coming off one other beating with Usyk?
In the event that they peddle a Fury-Joshua combat underneath that state of affairs, with Fury coming off of back-to-back losses, they should value the combat so it’ll promote. Hearn and Fury’s promoter might want to value it accordingly. Making it a freebie would work, however that ain’t going to do it.
Fury’ Washed Up at 35?
It will be higher if Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) avenged his loss to Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs), however that could be just a little an excessive amount of to hope for as a result of the 35-year-old Gysky King regarded previous, washed, and wanted to be saved by the referee within the ninth spherical.
Watching the referee twice get in Usyk’s manner throughout the ninth spherical made it clear that he wouldn’t be capable to knockout Fury. In a rematch, it could be a special referee, and it’s unlikely we’d see a state of affairs the place Fury could be protected when Usyk begins placing it on him.
Hearn’s Hedging His Bets
“We’re only some days off the again of it. It takes time to simply accept defeat. It takes time to comprehend your accidents and lick your wounds. So we’ll see how issues play out,” mentioned promoter Eddie Hearn to iFL TV about Tyson Fury.
As you possibly can see, Hearn’s already backpedaling, speaking about Fury needing time to lick his wounds and settle for his loss. That’s code for Hearn being concerned that Fury goes to get crushed once more by Usyk, and that’ll mess up his imaginative and prescient factor of a match between Tyson and AJ.
“When you’re Tyson Fury, you’re going to need one other crack at Oleksandr Usyk,” Hearn continued. “It was an important combat. The rematch will likely be an enormous combat. For AJ, he desires to develop into a three-time world heavyweight champion.
“So, I feel he wants to remain targeted on whoever he fights subsequent,” mentioned Hearn about Anthony Joshua. “He’d like to combat Fury subsequent. He’d like to combat Usyk. If not, it may very well be the winner of Hrgovic-Dubois subsequent week. He’s prepared for all comers.
“It takes so much out of each males, particularly on the ages they’re, notably Oleksandr Usyk,” mentioned Hearn when requested how a lot the Fury vs. Usyk combat took out of each fighters.
“Each of them gave so much that night time and doubtless misplaced just a little little bit of their soul within the course of, however each are nice fighters and two true warriors.
A Pipe Dream Fades
“I do. Whether or not Fury or loses the rematch, I feel we’ll see that combat,” mentioned Hearn when requested if he believes the Fury vs. Joshua combat will nonetheless ultimately occur.
“Clearly, we wished Tyson Fury to win. I do suppose he can win the rematch, and that may be the perfect state of affairs,” mentioned Hearn, hoping Fury will defeat Usyk within the rematch so the Fury-Joshua combat can occur.”
Hearn stubbornly believes the Fury-Joshua combat will occur, no matter what occurs with the rematch with Usyk. If Fury is crushed, the combat with AJ received’t be the large one which Hearn had hoped it could be. It will be the equal of an old-timer’s superstar match.