Frank Warren, promoter for WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, has serious doubts that Eddie Hearn will actually follow through with finalizing a unification deal for WBO, WBA, IBF, IBO champion Anthony Joshua.
has told talkSPORT.com that he does not believe Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom want to make Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua.
The Hall of Fame promoter questioned his British rival’s intentions as speculation continues to heat up surrounding the potential all-British undisputed heavyweight title bout.
In a recent interview, Hearn stated that he's ready to sign a two-fight agreement right now - with the initial contest to take place in 2021.
Joshua will first have to overcome a mandatory fight against Kubrat Pulev, and Fury is contracted to make a trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder.
"Wilder is not going to be stepping aside so [Pulev] is the fight for us," Hearn told Sky Sports.
"I had a conversation saying, 'Wilder is not stepping aside, we will take care of that fight, you take care of the Pulev fight, but let's get a deal done for 2021'. We have no problem signing now to fight Fury in 2021."
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, there is no telling when or where Joshua-Pulev and Fury-Wilder will take place.
Because each contest requires an actual live crowd, there is a possibility the two events will land in unexpected locations.
Should both champions win their respective bouts, the stage will be set for their showdown.
But, Warren is not confident a Fury-Joshua clash comes off.
“My concern, first and foremost, although they talk about it a lot Matchroom, I don’t think they want the fight," Warren told Talk Sport.
“I don’t think they want to put AJ in with Tyson, I really don’t think so. I hear all the noises, but actions speak louder than words and at the moment it seems to me – and I’m not normally wrong on things like this – I’ve got a gut feeling they don’t want it and I think that’s for a reason.
“I think Tyson’s the best heavyweight on the planet, there’s no doubt about that, and it’s a big risk for them. It’s a feeling from me, I’ve never had any conversations [with Matchroom] because I don’t deal with them.
“I know they’ve had talks with the MTK people, I know there’s also been conversations with Bob Arum, but I’ve told them all the way through this I don’t think they want it. If Tyson, which I believe he will do, beats AJ, then they’ve got a problem.”