Why Eddie Hearn still expects Tyson Fury to fight Anthony Joshua this summer

Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury

TYSON FURY and Anthony Joshua will still meet in a heavyweight Battle of Britain this summer, despite the Gypsy Kingโ€™s claims of retirement.

That is the opinion of Joshuaโ€™s promoter Eddie Hearn in the wake of Furyโ€™s Instagram video that announced the twice-beaten former world championโ€™s retirement.

Following Furyโ€™s defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in Riyadh last month, it had been suggested that he will return to the ring by facing Joshua in their long-awaited domestic showdown later this year.

Even Joshua broke from his normal low-key mode to call Fury out during an interview at the weekend where he declared that the fight has to happen.

However Fury has apparently decided against a money-spinning clash with his fellow Brit in favour of walking away from the sport with a 34-2-1 (24) record.

But Hearn still believes Joshua and Fury will fight this summer.

He said: โ€œMy gut feeling is we see AJ against Fury this summer. But, maybe heโ€™s for real.

โ€œI just cannot believe that he would check out without doing that fight. But if he genuinely isnโ€™t enjoying it anymore, he should retire.

โ€œIโ€™m not going to accuse him of not being genuine but I think you get a better deal coming out of retirement or maybe he just hasnโ€™t got the stomach for it anymore. He got beat twice and has had enough. I doubt it but who knows. I donโ€™t know him well enough to know but maybe heโ€™s done.

โ€œI think heโ€™s either going to fight AJ or heโ€™s never going to fight again so itโ€™s still the same situation.

โ€œRiyadh Season begins in October so maybe it opens up Riyadh Season. Maybe his excellency [Turki Al-Alshikh] does something in the summer. Maybe it never happens. 

โ€œI donโ€™t think his excellency will be saying โ€˜weโ€™ve got to get him out of retirementโ€™. Maybe he just says โ€˜ok, thank you, have funโ€™.โ€

When asked whether he thought Fury decided to announce his retirement because AJ had openly called him out, Hearn added: โ€œMaybe. Itโ€™s the first time Iโ€™ve ever seen AJ really call him out.

“So does Fury want that pressure to keep mounting on him or does he want to draw a line under it by saying: โ€˜Iโ€™m retired, fuck offโ€™. You canโ€™t say anything else now can you?

“I donโ€™t know if Tyson Fury is ready yet to live the life without boxing and without competition and confrontation. But maybe. I really donโ€™t know the guy but maybe the last fight and last camp was horrible for him and he didnโ€™t enjoy it. Heโ€™s made an absolute fortune and said โ€˜fuck it Iโ€™m doneโ€™.โ€

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