ANTHONY JOSHUA is reportedly still willing to step aside from his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk – despite Tyson Fury’s claim he’s set to face Dillian Whyte.
WBC heavyweight champ Fury hinted his long-awaited showdown with Whyte was on the brink of being finalised this morning just hours after accusing Joshua of snubbing a lucrative step-aside deal.
But promoter Eddie Hearn insists Watford warrior Joshua, unlike the Gypsy King, has yet to make a decision on his next move.
The Matchroom Boxing chief told The Daily Mail: “It seems Tyson now doesn’t want to fight Usyk next.
“You never know what he wants from one day to the next but at the moment he is insisting on a warm-up fight with his mandatory challenger Whyte which would delay everything.
“AJ can’t wait around all year while Fury goes on to meet Usyk in late summer.
“He would need contracted cast-iron guarantees that he would get his chance of becoming the undisputed champion by December at the latest.”
As it stands, Fury’s Battle of Britain with Whyte is set to go to purse bids at 6pm UK time on Friday.
And barring a dramatic turn of events, Joshua’s rematch with the undefeated Usyk will take place in the spring as planned.
Hearn said: “We have lodged the fee and notice of our bid on Dillian’s behalf.
“Frank Warren and Bob Arum may seek yet another extension in that bidding and we would agree if it looks as if we really can reach a deal in advance.”
Hearn has accused former lineal heavyweight champ Fury of shying away from the opportunity to become undisputed heavyweight champ.
He told iFL TV: “The reality of the situation is; we would be willing to see a long-form agreement with a plan for AJ.
“But we’re not even at that stage. Tyson Fury had the opportunity to discuss – Fury doesn’t want to fight Usyk, in my opinion.
“Because he had the opportunity to do it through these discussions and really, when it came down to it, he really don’t want to.
“What Fury wants to do is have a little easy one in March, that’s what he really wants to do.
“Now, he’s going to have to fight Dillian Whyte, and by the way, after all of this kerfuffle, he’ll get beat by Dillian Whyte, he’ll get knocked out by Dillian Whyte.
“But the reality is, when it really came down to it, he never wanted to fight Oleksandr Usyk.
“Because he could’ve gone straight into a fight with Oleksandr Usyk, but he didn’t want to go straight into a fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
“But you won’t ever hear that and the public won’t ever hear that. You’ll just hear Fury on Instagram, screaming and shouting with smoking mirrors.”
Although Fury has seemingly pivoted to settling the score with Whyte, Hearn is refusing to rule out the possibility of a unification bout with Usyk coming to fruition at the eleventh hour.
He said: “I don’t believe it’s off the table because people are still discussing it. That’s not a deal that I’ve necessarily put together.
“We’ve been approached with a plan and from my point of view, I’m saying I would be willing to see a long-form agreement to look at some kind of plan that would give AJ the opportunity to fight the winner between Fury and Usyk for the ‘best heavyweight in the world tag.
“But the reality is that Tyson Fury’s the one that’s decided, really, that he doesn’t want to fight Usyk next.
“Whether he tells you that or not, that’s the truth. He was not willing to fight Oleksandr Usyk for undisputed.
“Because he wanted a fight first in March against someone else, now he wants to fight Dillian Whyte. He changes his mind every day.”
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