Promoter Eddie Hearn doubts Tyson Fury is serious about his offer to face Anthony Joshua for the WBC heavyweight title, but is determined to do all he can to make it happen.
Joshua responded to Fury on Monday after the champion posted a video in which he gave the Londoner ‘a few months’ notice’ to prepare for ‘a battle of Britain’.
Joshua, who suffered a second consecutive defeat to WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO champion Oleksandr Usyk last month, insisted he would be ready to take on his compatriot in December.
With a showdown against Usyk appearing off the table, for now at least, Fury – who claimed to have retired in April – appears to have turned attentions towards another all-British clash.
And yesterday Fury said he had offered Joshua 40 per cent of the fight’s purse.
‘Fury’s outstanding at getting the public to believe absolute nonsense,’ Hearn said. ‘It worries me actually what people do believe, if you look at the timeline over the last few weeks, it’s unbelievably bizarre.
‘Personally, I don’t believe Fury is serious about this but if he is, which I said to the Warrens (Fury’s team) last night, 100 per cent we will sit down and make the fight.’
Matchroom chairman Hearn continued: ‘I would love to get really excited about this, because it’s the fight I get stopped in the street for more than any fight that could be made and it’s a fight AJ has wanted for a long time.
‘Don’t forget, we signed for this fight last year before the arbitration forced the Deontay Wilder fight for Tyson Fury.
‘The message is quite clear from AJ, we don’t want to get involved in a backwards and forwards, we want the fight. We had plans after the Usyk defeat to come back in December and then go again in March, get active and get the rhythm going again and then try and fight for the world heavyweight title.
‘But, I know having spoken to AJ, if that fight is there and they’re serious, which I have my doubts about, but for the good of trying to make it happen let’s believe Tyson Fury.’
Frank Warren, Fury’s promoter, said they were set to send a ‘written offer’ to Hearn on Tuesday, with the proposed bout to take place ‘in the UK and hopefully in November’.
Fury himself later declared: ‘I’m being bombarded with messages on how much I’m going to pay AJ – everyone is saying 80-20, 70-30, 75-25. The actual answer is I’ve offered him 60-40. He doesn’t have any excuses now not to take it. He can’t say I’ve low-balled him. I’ve offered (his) people 40 per cent.’
MORE : WWE star Drew McIntyre warns Tyson Fury to stay out of his way during historic Clash At The Castle main event
MORE : Anthony Joshua vs Dillian Whyte will be stadium showdown next summer, says Eddie Hearn, with Deontay Wilder clash ‘bigger than Fury vs Usyk’
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