Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn confirmed that Anthony Joshua (29-4-0) has officially instructed his team to finalize a deal for a clash against Tyson Fury (35-2-1).
The pressure for the Joshua-Fury fight intensified last Saturday, April 11, when Fury made a successful return to the ring after a 16-month hiatus to beat Arslanbek Makhmudov via a unanimous decision. Following the win, Fury addressed Joshua—who was sitting ringside—to make the fight.
The original plan was for Joshua to fight in March followed by a summer Fury fight. The plan was derailed by the fatal crash along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria, that claimed the lives of Joshua’s two friends (Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele). Now, Joshua needs a medical clearance to return to the ring after which he intends to fight in July before facing Fury by the end of the year.