13 September 2023 , 11:23
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Eddie Hearn has backed Anthony Joshua to knock out both Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury whilst admitting he is "deluded" for his predictions.
'AJ' has been linked to mega-fights against Wilder and Fury for years but neither of the two are yet to happen. A matchup against Wilder is closer than ever after Joshua picked up his first knockout win in over two years by stopping Robert Helenius in London last month. Terms have been agreed for the fight to take place in Saudi Arabia but a contract is yet to be signed by either man.
Matchroom Boxing boss Hearn has become a broken record by voicing his plan for Joshua which involves fights against Wilder and Fury before an eventual retirement. The promoter doubled down on this by recently telling talkSPORT : “Call me deluded, but he’s going to knockout Deontay Wilder and then he’s going to knockout Tyson Fury. Then he’s going to become undisputed heavyweight world champion and then we’re going to sail off into the sunset. I see it, have the vision for that, let’s make it happen.”
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Fury is currently preparing for his exhibition fight against former UFC champion Francis Ngannou next month and the pair came face-to-face at their press conference in London last week. Hearn criticised Fury for fighting Ngannou instead of fellow heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk as their undisputed clash fell through yet again earlier this year.
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“I think Fury is driven by money, but if you want to give him the benefit of the doubt and say he’s driven by legacy, those fights have both," Hearn added. "Sometimes, I think he’s got a bit of a chip on his shoulder. He says, ‘No, I’m not giving you the fight,’ but I don’t get it. The other day, he said, ‘I’m not interested in Usyk. He’s a middleweight rabbit’ or whatever he calls him, and ‘AJ is a gym sweeper. I’m only interested in the big boys.’
"Who are the big boys? They are the big boys. They’re the only big boys left, but if you want to go and do an exhibition, I don’t blame him for that. He’s getting a lot of money. It’s an exhibition, and it’s a circus. It’s the best heavyweight in the world against a bloke that has never boxed before, but he’s making a lot of money; it’s a big event. Good luck to him, but if that’s what he’s about, no problem."
Hearn admitted in an exclusive chat with Mirror Fighting he is looking at other entities to host a fight between Joshua and Wilder. 'AJ' could also fight again before the end of the year if the mega-fight doesn't materialise as Hearn wants him to stay active if the fight does happen early next year.