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By: Sean Crose
Boxing has always been a sport of mind games and few have been better at it than former heavyweight titlist Tyson Fury. Even though he’s officially retired, the man is still residing rent free in the minds of fans, analysts, fighters and, in particular, Anthony Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn. Even though neither Tyson nor Anthony Joshua are world champions anymore, a fight between the two towering Englishman would be quite a big deal for the sport, especially in Great Britain, where the bout would most certainly take place. Yet Hearn is accusing Fury of being Fury, teasing a potential bout but saying nothing concrete.
“I feel like Tyson Fury’s a bit of a tease really, isn’t he?” Hearn rhetorically asked Sky Sports. “I mean, all we see on Instagram is him…even today, I’ve come out of the press conference, went on Instagram, he’s there with his wraps on doing 12 rounds of boxing. Why are you doing this to us? What are you doing? Are you just deliberately playing with our minds or are you coming back?” Indeed, Hearn now has a favor to ask of Fury. “Just let us know either way,” he says. “Put us out of our misery.”
If Fury does somehow seriously decide to return, Hearn will likely target a fall date for a fight with Joshua. “Look, AJ’s got to have a little keyhole surgery on his elbow,” Hearn said. “He’ll be back post-September. It’s there, isn’t it? Let’s just make it happen.” As far as Hearn is concerned, it would be a terrible thing for Fury and Joshua not to finally meet in the ring. “When we talk about big fights,” said Hearn, “this fight is the biggest fight, not just in British boxing, in world boxing, by a mile. And I just feel like it’s time. This is the moment.”
Boxing fandom has been awaiting a Fury-Joshua fight for years. At one point the fighters were lined up to battle for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world. Oleksandr Usyk put an end to that by beating Fury, then Joshua, two times a piece. Still, there’s a lot to like about Fury and Joshua finally slipping between the ropes and throwing down.
“We’re reliant upon Tyson Fury,” said Hearn. “We’re ready to go, but obviously he’s got to be comfortable. He’s got to be up for it…he’s a competitive so-and-so, and I just know in his mind, he’ll want to dance with Anthony Joshua. So, dust those shoes off and let’s make it happen.”
