Home Boxing News Frank Warren: “Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua must happen this year”

Frank Warren: “Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua must happen this year”

Tyson Fury with promoter Frank Warren. Photo credit: Getty Images

Tyson Fury’s promoter Frank Warren wants an all-British heavyweight unification bout with Anthony Joshua to happen this year.

Fury claimed the WBC heavyweight championship with a seven round beatdown of previously undefeated American Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas last month. Wilder has enacted his immediate rematch clause with the fight expected to take place in July.

Joshua reclaimed the WBA, IBF and WBO belts with a revenge win over Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia in December. The 30-year-old Londoner is set to defend his titles against mandatory contender Kubrat Pulev in June.

Promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, who represents Joshua, is keen to see the fight happen in December this year and Warren appears to be on the same page.

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“It’s got to happen and it’s got to happen this year. To get that fight on, everybody involved has got to sit around a table and get it hammered out,” Warren said to BT Boxing.

“It will happen providing Kubrat Pulev doesn’t knock out or stop Joshua. You make AJ favourite [against Pulev] but in his last few fights he’s been caught.

“Everyone fighting him now knows what they need to do to win.”

Warren remains confident the fight can happen before the end of the year.

“Of course I’m optimistic, providing everyone keeps winning. But it will only get done if everyone sits down and makes it happen,” he said.

“Those two fighting will be the biggest sporting ever this country has seen since England won the World Cup.

“I’d like to see it be held in the UK, but it depends on the money. Fury is the best heavyweight of his generation. Never lost a fight. He’s the number one.”

Warren seemed lukewarm on the Fury-Wilder rematch, but admitted the former champion was well within his rights to insist on a third fight with the self-styled ‘Gypsy King’.

“He has invoked it. The date isn’t set yet but he has invoked it. If it’s got to be it’s got to be,” he said.

“That’s the contract that we signed so we need to respect that. I think Tyson has his number, unless Deontay pulls something special out the bag.

“He’s made some stupid excuses. The bottom line is Tyson beat him on merit and the best man won on the night.

“I think Tyson has his number and has the number over every heavyweight out there at the moment.

“One punch can change the whole dynamic of a fight. And he did catch Tyson a few times, but he took them.

“This was two fighters at the top of their game. For me it’s the best-ever performance from a British fighter. He destroyed him.”