17 December 2020

Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury prepared to drop all the belts to fight one another, says promoter Eddie Hearn

Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are prepared to drop the world heavyweight title belts in order to get an all-British dust-up made for next year, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.

Joshua currently holds the IBF, WBA and WBO belts, while Fury has the only other major belt - the green and gold WBC strap.

And while the two champions are keen for the fight to be for the undisputed title, Hearn has dismissed the idea that politics, belts or governing bodies will get in the way.

Joshua retained his belts with a KO of Kubrat Pulev last weekend

(PA Wire)

"We have a fight on our hands, and sorry to the governing bodies, that eclipses all belts," he said during a DAZN press conference.

"We've just got to be a bit careful because you may be on the verge of saying, ‘Let's just get rid of politics right now. Let's just drop all the belts because if we lose one belt, we might as well lose them all.’"

Joshua and Fury look to be on a collision course after AJ defended his titles against Kubrat Pulev in front of 1,000 fans at Wembley Arena.

But there are concerns Joshua could be forced by the WBO to fight his mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk before he can make the Fury bout.

However, Hearn has warned the governing bodies they will not do anything to put this Joshua-Fury clash in jeopardy.

"You've got the biggest fight in world boxing, you are paying each governing body hundreds of thousands of dollars," he added. "Now you have got another guy (Usyk) who probably wants seven figures to step aside.

"We have just got to be careful because ultimately the aim of this fight has always been to be for the undisputed championship.

Fury became the first British heavyweight to win the WBC title since Lennox Lewis nearly two decades ago

(PA Wire)

"We will do whatever we can to make sure that every belt in boxing is on the line in the Tyson Fury fight.

"What we won't be is held to ransom and we won't let politics get involved in a fight that boxing needs."

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