ANTHONY JOSHUA has told Tyson Fury he is in control of their summer showdown as British boxing’s head honcho.
Watford’s WBA, IBF and WBO champ has his team working around the clock to arrange a Saudi Arabia clash with the WBC Gypsy King.
And the 31-year-old has told prank-loving Fury, 32, to clock in with him when he is really ready to confirm the undisputed decider.
“We’re working on a date for around June,” AJ told Sky News.
“So if Tyson is serious, which I think he is, he’ll know where to come and find the boss.
“I’m ready. I’m really looking forward to competition, all I want to do is fight, fight, fight!”
Saudi Arabia, which hosted AJ’s December 2019 rematch win over Andy Ruiz Jr, is leading the race to hold the fight.
But America, Qatar, Dubai, Singapore and China have all expressed their interest in hosting.
With the coronavirus fall-out unlikely to let 90,000 fans back into Wembley stadium for a while, the UK has to hope to host the rematch of the planned two-fight rivalry.
But Joshua, who bashed up Kubrat Pulev in his local Wembley Arena on December 12, says he will not get hung up on the venue.
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He said: “Any option. Home turf, Middle East, my back garden, your back garden. I don’t mind where it is.
“I’m just ready to fight. I want that belt. I want to compete with Fury so all options are open to me.”
Joshua, who heads up his own 258 management team, is employing Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom promoters to get the biggest deal in British boxing history done.
Fury has Frank Warren’s Queensberry firm working in tandem with Bob Arum’s Top Rank.
SunSport understands the deal is set to be announced at the start of March and a non-disclosure agreement is keeping negotiations top secret.
Fury is keeping quiet at his Morecambe base but AJ could not resist going on Twitter this week to suggest talks are going well.
The London 2012 golden boy wrote: “Another positive meeting with @258mgt. They’ve informed me things are shaping up nicely. They will be sharing the update with Eddie and you’ll be hearing from me soon.”
When pressed on his suggestive social media post, he said: “I try not to do too much teasing.
“I had a catch-up with 258 Management, the great team I’ve been working with since I turned professional.
“They have been working in negotiations. They updated my promotional team, they updated me.”
