Heavyweight champs Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have agreed to a two-fight deal, but there are roadblocks before they meet in the ring.
Huge news came out of the boxing world on Wednesday. WBC and lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs) and WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) have agreed to a two-fight deal in 2021.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn announced that both Joshua and Fury have agreed to the basics of the deal to fight twice in 2021 although no contracts have been signed. Later, Fury posted a video confirming the news.
Tyson Fury is HYPED to fight Anthony Joshua next year ?
(via @Tyson_Fury) pic.twitter.com/lZiCSMxS8B
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) June 10, 2020
“I’m just after getting off the phone with Daniel Kinahan,” a beaming Fury said to his camera. “He’s just informed me that the biggest fight in British boxing history has just been agreed.”
Fury versus Joshua is arguably the biggest fight in boxing and it would provide the rare opportunity to have an undisputed champion. Considering both fighters are from the United Kingdom, you’d have to figure that both parties would like to have at least one of the two fights held in England.
However, before Fury and Joshua can meet in the ring there are a few obstacles standing in the way.
For Fury, he’s due to fight Deontay Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs) for a third time later this year. Fury and Wilder fought to a controversial draw in December of 2018 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and then Fury won their rematch via seventh-round TKO in February at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Whenever the third fight takes place, Fury will be the overwhelming favorite.
If Fury wins the third fight with Wilder, he may need to face his mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte (27-1, 18 KOs) the first quarter of 2021.
Joshua also has tasks in front of him before he can fight Fury. Joshua is due to fight Kubrat Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) later this year. These two were initially scheduled to fight this month but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A new fight date has yet to be announced.
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) June 10, 2020
If Joshua gets past Pulev, he may have to face former undisputed cruiserweight champion and rising star Oleksandr Usyk (17-0, 13 KOs). Usyk’s southpaw-style would present problems for Joshua and could lead to an upset. However, since Hearn is also Usyk’s promoter, there’s a possibility he can convince Usyk to step aside and allow Fury versus Joshua to take place, and arrange for him to fight the winner.
What happens over the second half of this year will go a long way in determining if we’ll get to see Fury, who turns 32 in August, against Joshua, who turns 31 in October.
In a year that has been difficult for everyone, the hopes of having two fights between Fury and Joshua next year is something all boxing fans are looking forward to seeing.
