EDDIE HEARN has insisted he will finalise Anthony Joshua’s fight with Tyson Fury despite Bob Arum’s pessimism.
The Gypsy King’s US promoter cast doubt on the deal earlier this week when accusing Hearn of being ‘late’ to tie it up.
However, the Matchroom boss has hit back to claim he is ‘the only one’ working on the mega unification battle.
He told talkSPORT: “I’m a bit worried about Bob Arum.
“I last communicated with Bob Arum on Thursday and Friday of last week and he gave an interview last night to say he hasn’t heard from me for two weeks.
“Five days ago he was telling everyone, ‘It’s done, it’s in Saudi Arabia, this is the deal, etc’.
“It’s definitely taking a little bit longer than we anticipated, both guys have accepted the deal that’s come in from the Middle East, we’re papering that deal.
“It’s not as easy as just a 24-hour turnaround of a long-form agreement for a fight of this magnitude.
“Bob Arum said, ‘Eddie Hearn, he’s run out of time’. We’re supposed to be partners on this fight.
“The only one I see doing any work on this fight at all is me. And I won’t stop until we’ve got the fight made.
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“So we’re on the verge. We have an agreement, we have a signed contract, we have a site agreement that’s been accepted and now we put it in a long-form agreement and you get an announcement next week.”
Saudi Arabia has been tipped to host the summer showdown and bag both fighters over £50million.
But Fury’s camp has alluded to the trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder that the Brit was reportedly obliged to last year.
Arum, 89, told BoxingScene: “Maybe we’ll breathe some life into Wilder, and Fury will fight Wilder and Joshua will fight [Oleksandr] Usyk.
“Eddie Hearn is busy trying to sell the London Bridge. Let me tell you – last time I talked to Eddie was early last week and he said he was going to have a signed agreement from the Saudis in 24 hours.
“Well, he’s a little late. Wouldn’t you be pessimistic if you haven’t heard from him or anybody for a week? We’re the promoter with Frank [Warren] of Fury and we haven’t heard from Eddie in a week.”
Hearn, 41, admitted his surprise at the remarks and vowed to do what it takes to get Joshua and Fury in the ring together.
He continued: “I don’t know whether Bob’s on the wind-up, trying to put the pressure on.
“He’s 90 years old, so you’ve gotta respect him. I messaged him last night with the quote that I saw as if to say, ‘What is this all about?’.
“He sort of goes, ‘Well, you know, gotta move quicker.’ I said, ‘No, I’m moving as fast as I can’.
“But it’s all been left to me basically. The whole thing. Everyone’s just sitting there saying, ‘Eddie’s gotta hurry up, Eddie’s gotta do this’.
“We’re supposed to be co-promoters in this fight. I’m the only one that’s been out traipsing around the world to make sure we get this fight happening.
“And I promise you this fight will happen, I’ll make sure this fight happens.”
