Follow usMatchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn says he has “not given up hope” on heavyweight Anthony Joshua fighting Tyson Fury later this year.
A deal for WBC champion Fury to face fellow champion Oleksandr Usyk for all of the belts at Wembley Stadium on April 29 could be finalised next week.
“If the Usyk fight doesn’t get made, our message to Team Fury is that we’ll make the fight now, for straight after the Franklin fight,” he said.
The 33-year-old Joshua faces Jermaine Franklin at London’s O2 Arena on 1 April.
Saudi Arabia was understood to be the frontrunner to host the historic Fury-Usyk fight, the first undisputed heavyweight clash in the four-belt era, but Wembley Stadium is now considered to be the most likely venue.
Usyk’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk met with Queensbury Promotions’ Frank Warren, who represents Fury, in London last Wednesday.
“They’ve obviously gone to the Middle East to get that money, failed because Anthony Joshua is not involved in that fight, and now they’ve gone to Wembley,” Hearn added.
“I don’t know how they get the numbers that Fury will demand for that fight, but if they can, brilliant. Hopefully for boxing it gets made because any time there’s an undisputed clash it’s great for the sport.
“It doesn’t matter if they failed in their attempt to secure a big Middle East fight or whatever has happened, it’s tremendous for British boxing if it does come home.”
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