EDDIE HEARN is adamant the highly-anticipated Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury showdown IS ON for July.
The two superstars have agreed and penned a £200m two-fight deal to unify the heavyweight division.
The Gypsy King’s dad John then cast doubt over the fight with AJ by insisting an agreement means nothing without a date and venue.
The Middle East was expected to host the blockbuster bout but Hearn admitted a full Wembley is an alternative if lockdown restrictions are lifted in time.
Reacting to Fury Snr’s remarks, Joshua’s Matchroom promoter Hearn told the AK & Barak show: “‘What have they signed?’ Unless you’re trying to talk yourself out of this fight, all I’m doing is grafting my nuts off to try and make this fight.
“I’m traveling all around the world this week trying to get it done, and all I hear from the other side is, ‘Yeah, well, it’s not going to happen, is it? It’s not a great time at the moment.’
“I said to [Bob] Arum the other day, ‘Where’s your mojo?’ I’m flying all over the world, and people are saying to me, ‘I saw an interview with this guy, and he said he doesn’t even think it’ll happen.’
“AJ is in 100% full camp. In his mind, this is the only fight that is going to happen next. Whoever comes up with the best opportunity, it’s on.
“I hope that will come from the other side as well because everybody signed a contract, and they have to approve the site and the deal as far as the site offers.
“But it’s going to be significant. We’ve already had offers. I don’t like the noise I’m hearing from that camp.
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“Maybe they’ve been let down before, and maybe they don’t trust people. I don’t know. But for me, I’m not doing this, traveling around the world away from my family.
“I’m doing this because I’m trying to make the biggest fight in the world.
“So if you’re with me, as you showed you were by signing the contract, be with us. Maybe they think we won’t come up with the goods, but we will.”
Fury, 32, has fought just once in the last 18 months – that stunning win over Deontay Wilder in February 2020.
All eyes are on the showdown with Joshua, but his father may feel he needs a tune-up first before AJ.
Although Hearn is adamant the spectacular should happen sooner rather than later.
He said: “In July. The date depends on many different things. For one venue, it’s the backend of July, and for another venue, it’s the first week of July.
“There’s been a bit of talk about Wembley, which is difficult, but we got 100,000 capacity, which the government is working towards.
“Wembley is trying to initiate full capacity. So if we did have full capacity at the end of July, Wembley comes into the conversation.
“In AJ’s head, this comes down to as much money as possible, but for AJ, I’m not saying he’s looking for the right deal, but he just wants to fight.
“He wants this fight next more than anything. So if it’s 100,000 at Wembley, Anthony Joshua is 1 million percent signed and in for this fight.
“Obviously, we have to do our job and go around the world and present all the offers to the fighters, but Anthony Joshua has told me categorically that if it’s Wembley and full up, ‘I’m in.’ But firstly, I have to deal with all these approaches for the fighters.”
