FRANK WARREN fired a warning to Anthony Joshua that he better not ‘slip up’ against Oleksandr Usyk and ruin a showdown with Tyson Fury.
AJ has been ordered to fight his WBO mandatory challenger next while Fury has a third fight with Deontay Wilder lined up.
The British heavyweight kings looked set to meet in August in Saudi Arabia but their long-anticipated showdown fell through.
But, writing in his Daily Star column, promoter Warren said Fury still wants to fight AJ this year after he’s done with Wilder.
Warren wrote: “Tyson Fury is facing Deontay Wilder next – but let’s make it very clear now that we want Anthony Joshua in December.
“My message to Joshua is if you defend the WBO title against Oleksandr Usyk then make sure you don’t slip up.
“We will be waiting in December once Fury wipes the floor with Wilder again this summer.”
Warren also reckons that Joe Joyce could step in and face Usyk if AJ vacates the WBO belt.
But he thinks that would be a shame as it would mean an AJ vs Fury bout would not be for all four major heavyweight titles.
The promoter wrote: “There won’t be any running from Joyce as he has been patiently biding his time for that fight.
“Joyce won’t fear facing Usyk if Joshua decides he doesn’t want to face his mandatory challenger.”
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Fury’s brother Tommy also warned Joshua not to scupper the long-awaited Battle of Britain by losing to the Ukrainian.
He told talkSPORT: “You can’t let that go by. Both men aren’t ancient.
“It’s not like they’re 35 or 36, both are in the prime of their lives whether it’s going to be this year or next it doesn’t really matter.
“Both men just have to secure it from their sides. I know Tyson is going to secure it, so it’s really on AJ not to mess up like he did before.
“He’s got to take care of his business.”
Fury dethroned Wilder last February in Las Vegas to complete a remarkable return to the sport.
And Tommy is adamant his older brother will turn in a repeat performance in their Sin City trilogy fight.
He said: “Tyson’s mindset and his team’s mindset is he doesn’t care. He’s the best fighter on the planet.
“It doesn’t matter if he’s fighting Anthony Joshua or Deontay Wilder.
“That AJ fight is going to come. He’s going to knock Wilder out this time and he’s going to wish he’d never picked up the phone to fight.
“It is what it is, he’s in the mindset now, he’s absolutely untouchable, there’s no one beating Tyson but himself, that’s just the bottom line.
“He’s not bothered about who he fights. You’re going to see the best Tyson Fury.
“It shocked all of us as it was all done and cemented.
“Everyone working with Tyson and the other side of it was all confirmed and then suddenly there was a slip up and he’s fighting Wilder.
“That just shows the craziness of boxing. When something’s nailed on it’s not really nailed on.
“You never know what’s going to happen.
“I’m sure it’s going to be a great fight again and hopefully we can see the Joshua fight before the end of the year and if not maybe next year.
“I think it will still happen as it’s too big of a fight not to happen. This is one of the biggest fights ever.”
