"It's almost like they don't really want the fight. I'd like them to talk it up, rather than talk it down," Eddie Hearn reacts to doubts from Tyson Fury about finalising a world title fight with Anthony Joshua
Friday 9 April 2021 06:07, UK
Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have "multiple" offers to stage their world title fight and promoter Eddie Hearn is "confident as ever" about finalising a deal.
Britain's rival champions have signed contracts ahead of an undisputed world title fight, but a period of three weeks was set to reach an agreement on a location and a venue for a huge summer showdown.
Fury tweeted on Wednesday night that a deadline was three days away following criticism from his father John about negotiations, but Matchroom boss Hearn intends to deliver a variety of options to both fighters by the weekend.
"At the end of this week both fighters and the teams will be presented with all the offers and options on the table, which there will be multiple ones," Hearn told Sky Sports.
There will be around three or four offers presented to both camps this weekend and then it's over to them and the teams to discuss which one we want to take.
"We're in a good place. I saw John Fury's comments. It's almost like they don't really want the fight. I'd like them to talk it up, rather than talk it down.
"We're quite aware that there has been a global pandemic. We're quite aware that it's not easy, but we're out there grafting away every day to get this done.
"A little bit of support would be nice, John and Tyson, thank you very much.
"Like I said, there will be around three or four offers presented to both camps this weekend and then it's over to them and the teams to discuss which one we want to take. The dates of those fights."
A number of potential locations are being considered, including Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Qatar, China, Dubai, America and the UK, with a date in July expected to be announced.
"Same thing applies," said Hearn. "Two fights this year. It is a summer fight. That's everything we're working towards and as confident as ever that this gets done.
"I know that there are some negative people out there and people that believe we can't pull it off, but we spend a lifetime pulling things off, and I believe we will get this done, and I believe you will see this fight in the summer.
"The next step is to basically get everybody to agree to the venue and the date, and they're going to have multiple options to choose from.
"There's no other fight for Tyson Fury. There's no other fight for Anthony Joshua. This is the fight. Everyone accepts that."
Wembley Stadium has not been ruled out, despite the current Covid-19 restrictions on attendances, and Hearn has named a potential date that would fit in between major sporting events.
"Firstly, you have the Euros, then you have the Olympics, if they happen," he said.
"When you look at the Wembley option, which is still teetering around. Maybe unrealistic, but it's another option that we'd like to present.
"That would be July 24th, for example, which is the end of the Euro period. Once you start going too deep into August, you've got the Olympics and so forth.
"I put this fight up there as the biggest sporting event of 2021. I know the Olympics is a big period. This is massive. This is something the whole world will stop to watch."
