Eddie Hearn, promoter for IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, is still convinced that Tyson Fury (26-0, 19 KOs) will not go forward with a December fight against WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs).
Fury is back on August 18th in Belfast, against Francesco Pianetta. Wilder will be ringside.
Should Fury win, as expected, both sides are saying that he'll likely face Wilder on a December date in Las Vegas.
Fury snapped a long layoff back in June, when he stopped overmatched Sefer Seferi in four rounds. It was Fury's first fight since November of 2015, when he won a shocking twelve round decision over division king Wladimir Klitschko.
The win over Klitschko have him the WBA, WBO, IBF, IBO world titles, which he eventually lost due to inactivity and fighting depression.
Hearn believes Fury is likely using Wilder's name to generate interest in the upcoming fight with Pianetta.
"I'm just telling you, based on the conversations that I've had with Fury on working with him - it ain't happening. Unless something has dramatically changed, where he's gone out against Sefer Seferi and said 'do you know, I'm back.' It's impossible. He won't be fighting Wilder in December, because he knows he won't be ready," Hearn said to IFL TV.
"If he loses to Wilder, he loses the AJ fight, he loses everything. Maybe he just wants to roll the dice. But it's just my gut feeling. He didn't want to fight Tony Bellew, he didn't want to fight Dillian Whyte. Maybe he's just had enough. Maybe he just wants to get some money and roll the dice and good luck to him. We have no problem with Wilder fighting Fury, because it makes our fight with winner much, much bigger.
"Fury saying it's so easy working with [Wilder's co-manager] Shelly Finkel. That's because you're a voluntary challenger. It's not so easy when you're a four belt holder trying to make an undisputed fight. Its easy for you, you ain't got no belts, you're just an opponent fighting for a world title."
Fury has heard some of the comments from Hearn in recent days, and took to social media to verbally blast the British promoter.
"He said I can suck his nuts, one by one. I'm not really into hairy nuts or nuts at all. I'm not very keen on sucking Tyson Fury's nuts. He makes me laugh. He's just so unpredictable. Maybe he does take the fight. I just think it's a publicity stunt. And I don't know if its both of them in on it or just Tyson in on it, or Frank [Warren] is just in on it. Maybe I'm completely wrong and it happens in December," Hearn said.
