:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68934188/1192565876.jpg.0.jpg)
The latest news on Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua has been that the contracts are just waiting to be signed, at which point venue and date will be decided, etc., and that comes from both sides, not just one wanting to look good for an interview.
And while we all wait on an official announcement (any day now?!?!?), Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn tells Sky Sports that Joshua is fully dialed in on Fury and ready to pull what most would see as an upset:
“He is so focused. Although he’d tell you that he’s training just to improve as a fighter, I know that all he’s thinking about is Fury. He’s working on the plan to beat this guy and become undisputed. I love the work he’s doing, the improvements he’s making, the mind-set. He has the mind-set of a winner, of a champion. Fury is a fantastic fighter but AJ will do a job on him. The preparation starts now. Don’t think Fury isn’t doing the same. He knows. This may be the biggest fight of all time.”
Well, it is not the biggest fight of all-time, I mean, jeez, there is promoter-speak and then there is that, but yes it is a very big fight, and very likely could be the biggest fight either of these two are ever involved in.
Hearn also compared Joshua (24-1, 22 KO) to Canelo Alvarez, a fighter the promoter has gotten to see more up close in the last few months, promoting his December and February bouts. The British promoter says that like Canelo, AJ is always trying to get better, staying focused, living right, and so on and so forth.
Still, Fury (30-0-1, 21 KO) will surely come in the betting favorite, though with AJ having probably the more passionate fan base I expect the lines to be close.
Otherwise, again, we’re just waiting on it to become official. Everyone’s pretty much dug in their heels on who will win this since last summer, when the whispers started being more than whispers.