Hearn: Joshua vs. Fury Must Happen by 2025 or “Never”

Eddie Hearn, promoter for Anthony Joshua, has stated that the long-awaited heavyweight clash between Joshua and Tyson Fury must take place by the end of 2025, or it may never happen. The bout, which has been speculated for years, has consistently stalled in negotiations.

Joshua, 34, will challenge Daniel Dubois for the IBF belt at Wembley Stadium, while Fury, 36, is set to face Oleksandr Usyk in a rematch in December. According to Hearn, the result of these upcoming fights will determine the scale of a potential Joshua-Fury matchup.

“If AJ beats Dubois and Fury beats Usyk, you’ve got the biggest fight in the history of the sport ever. If one loses and the other wins, it’s still a monster fight,” Hearn told BBC Sport. He added that the deadline for the much-anticipated bout is “definitely” next year.

With significant investment from Saudi Arabia into boxing, hopes are high that the fight could finally materialize after years of setbacks.

Joshua’s Comeback and Legacy

Joshua, who broke down in tears after consecutive losses to Usyk in 2022, has since fought his way back into title contention with four consecutive victories. Should he defeat Dubois, Joshua would join legends like Muhammad Ali and Lennox Lewis by becoming a three-time heavyweight world champion.

Hearn emphasized the magnitude of Joshua’s potential achievement: “The magnitude of the achievement will be something incredible if he can pull it off.” He also reflected on Joshua’s impact on boxing, stating that the fighter has “transcended the sport” by turning stadium bouts into a norm.

Despite criticism of Joshua’s recent performances, Hearn believes there will never be another figure quite like him: “Whatever you think of his boxing ability… it will never be repeated.”

As Joshua prepares to face Dubois in front of a British post-war record crowd of 96,000, Hearn is confident in Joshua’s ability to handle the pressure and reclaim his place as world champion.

“Forget the money in the bank, he badly wants to become world champion again,” Hearn said.