Eddie Hearn maps out Fury vs Joshua – warm up fight plans included

On April 11, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Tyson Fury (35-2-1, 24 KOs) returned to professional boxing with a unanimous decision win against Arslanbek Makhmudov (21-3, 19 KOs). Despite a rough opening round, Fury ultimately ran out a comfortable winner. Immediately after the bout, attention quickly turned to Fury vs Joshua, with “The Gypsy King” calling out AJ. Since then, Eddie Hearn has spoken to The Stomping Ground and revealed the roadmap for Joshua to Fury.

Fury vs Joshua: ‘The Gypsy King’ calls out AJ

After Fury’s win, he said plenty to Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs), who remained unmoved at ringside. It all started when Turki Alalshikh said: “It is the time. Frank (Warren, Fury’s promoter), Eddie Hearn (Anthony Joshua’s promoter), it is the time. Come on over here Eddie.”

While Hearn smiled at the events, Joshua looked visibly annoyed. 

“Next, I want to give you the fight you’ve all been waiting for,” Fury said. “I want you (pointing at Joshua) AJ, Anthony Joshua (who just nodded his head and put his hand to his heart with a slight smile). Let’s give the fight fans what they want. The Battle of Britain. 

“And here’s my challenge: I challenge you, Anthony Joshua, to fight me, “The Gypsy King” next.

Joshua continued to look on with a steely gaze, when Fury barked: “Do you accept my challenge?”

AJ gave Fury the middle finger and said: “Tyson, you’re a clout chaser.”

“Tyson, I’ve never had no problem getting in the ring with you. I punched you out when we were kids. And after watching you tonight,  I’ll punch you up again. With all due respect, tonight is your night, and you know I’ll sit across that ring from you in due time. 

“You ain’t going to tell me what to do. I’ve been chasing you for the last 10 years. When you’re ready, you come and see me. And you tell me your terms and conditions.

“And I’ll have you in the ring when I’m ready. I’m the boss. You work for me. I’m the landlord. Remember that. I’m the landlord. You work for me,” added Joshua.

“The ball’s in your court,” Fury shouted at Joshua. “Let’s give the fight fans what they want. Do not run from me this time. Ten years in the making. Let’s f—ing dance.”

Fury vs Joshua: Eddie Hearn reveals plans

Speaking to The Stomping Ground, Hearn revealed all on Fury vs Joshua, including the rumours regarding Katie Taylor being on the undercard at Croke Park:

“So you want us to get in the ring to announce the fight that’s not actually done? No. Never announce the fight that’s not signed. But I believe there will be a fight, I mean, Netflix posted, it’s on, Fury-AJ live on Netflix. I’m like, oh my god, how bizarre that you even get like…I mean, it’s not like The Stomping Ground put it out. Netflix put it out.

“We just need our time to do that. And given everything that’s happened by the way, I think it’s more than reasonable to make sure that we wait to know that we’re mentally ready for this return, but physically ready as well. And we’re doing a good job of that. And AJ is doing an incredible job. He was back in Valencia on Sunday.

“Everything will be planned with His Excellency and Sela, and that’s the discussions that we’ve had over the last couple of days, which is to fight in July, and then fight Tyson Fury around November time. I don’t see Croke Park, and by the way, Katie Taylor’s certainly not going on no undercard. The fight will take place where His Excellency wants the fight to take place. If he’s paying the bill, I do believe he’d like the fight to take place at Wembley. It would be an incredible venue for what would be the biggest fight of all time.”