Tyson fury vs. Anthony Joshua in December? Momentum is building
Tyson Fury evidently isn’t just talking this time.
The heavyweight titleholder, who recently “unretired,” was expected to fight Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed championship in his next fight. However, Fury wants to fight ASAP. And Usyk has indicated that he won’t be ready to go until next year.
Enter Anthony Joshua, the two-time victim of Usyk.
Fury reportedly sent an offer to face his longtime rival before the end of this year, proposing a 60-40% distribution of the revenue. And Joshua has accepted, according to his promoter, Eddie Hearn.
That appears to make an all-British showdown on Dec. 17 a realistic possibility, although Hearn cautioned in an interview with IFL TV on Wednesday: “In essence, we accepted the offer. Lots of conversations to be had.”
The fight could take place at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, which has a retractable roof. However, that also remains to be settled.
“So I went back this morning and said we accept 60-40,” Hearn told IFL TV. “We want that reversed in a rematch, rightfully so, because you’re the champion here you want the bigger split, which I think is fair.
“We want to do the fight in December and interestingly they have Dec. 17 … at , so that’s perfect, that’s perfect for us.”
Fury spoke to TalkSport on Wednesday.
“I think is more than generous,” he said. “I didn’t want to go in and start offering them 20% like they would’ve done to me. However, I really want this fight to happen as Usyk – the little middleweight – doesn’t want no smoke like I thought he didn’t, and now I’m going after AJ.
“I’ve already beat Deontay Wilder, so there’s only one other person and that’s AJ, the bodybuilder! So, why not give him 40 percent? Give him no excuses and let’s get the fight made for the British public.”
Fury and Joshua appeared headed for a showdown last year. However, a judge in the U.S. ruled that Fury was obliged to honor a rematch agreement and fight Wilder a third time.
That fight took place in October and Fury stopped Wilder in 11 rounds, his second consecutive KO of the former champion. He went on to knockout Dillian Whyte in six rounds this past April, Fury’s most recent fight.
Meanwhile, Joshua lost three of the four major titles to Usyk by a unanimous decision in September of last year and then lost a split decision in the rematch on Aug. 20. That should give him plenty of time to prepare for a fight with Fury in December.