The much-anticipated heavyweight boxing showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua could be called off if both parties do not sign the contract tomorrow.
World Boxing Council champion Fury offered deposed World Boxing Association, World Boxing Organisation and International Boxing Federation champion Joshua a December 3 bout, and the 32-year-old with dual Nigerian and British nationalities instantly accepted.
However, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn insists there is “no chance” the contract for the proposed big fight will be signed tomorrow, which is the deadline set by Fury’s promoter Frank Warren.
On Friday, Fury accused Joshua of trying to dodge the fight.
“If he [Fury] really wants to fight, he’ll let the teams deal with it,” said Hearn on Seconds Out.
Unbeaten Fury, 34, offered the fight despite Joshua suffering a second successive defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in August and failing to regain the WBA (Super), WBO and IBF belts he lost to the Ukrainian in September 2021.
Warren said “there shouldn’t be a reason” why the contract could not be signed tomorrow.
“I am hoping on Monday we’ll be able to get it over the line. I don’t think there’s a lot of issues and the only thing I think can hold it up at the minute is the broadcasters,” he told BBC Sport yesterday.
“AJ said he wanted the fight. We’ve agreed the financial terms and we’ve told them they can be involved in all the contracts, setting the budgets for the undercard, everything.”
However, Hearn said his team was vetting the contract, claiming it was “all over the place” after waiting nine days to receive it.
“If he doesn’t [want to fight Joshua], and I guess he doesn’t, then he’ll do what he’ll do and the fans might even fall for it,” Hearn said.
“But what I am seeing, the fans aren’t falling for it.
“We have a meeting on Monday, with DAZN, with BT, with everybody but it’s going to take time. If he wants to put a time frame of Monday on it then it’s clear to the whole public he doesn’t want the fight.
“It’s not getting signed on Monday so if he is walking away on Monday the fight is off.”
