Joshua’s 2-Fight Plan

Eddie Hearn has stated that Anthony Joshua (29-4) will return to the ring in July for a “tune-up” bout—a move designed to shake off his ring rust before facing Tyson Fury (35-2-1) later in the year.

Hearn admitted that Joshua’s warm-up fight will not “wow” fans and will most likely draw criticism, however he’s promised the Fury fight will follow. The decision to take an interim fight follows a turbulent period for Joshua, who was involved in car accident that killed his two close friends last December. Jumping straight into a Fury fight after the accident and limited activity (having only fought Jake Paul last December) is not ideal.

Despite Deontay Wilder’s victory over Derek Chisora this month and his subsequent call-out of Joshua, “The Bronze Bomber” finds himself on the outside looking in. Hearn clarified that while Joshua is ready to fight Wilder, the offer presented by the Saudis is specifically structured as a two-fight deal leading to Fury. Matching Joshua against a puncher as dangerous as Wilder for a “tune-up” is a gamble they aren’t willing to take.

“If we were promoting the event, that’s exactly what I’d be doing, making the Wilder fight. But this is a deal put to us with Fury against AJ as the mountain top of that deal. AJ has told me that he will fight Wilder and Fury back-to-back. We have no problem fighting Wilder,” Hearn said