"All-British showdown and I can give fans what they want to see"
Sunday 24 May 2020 06:57, UK
Tyson Fury wants a huge world title fight against Anthony Joshua to satisfy public demand and warned his British rival not to derail plans by losing to Kubrat Pulev.
Unified champion Joshua would 'sign now' for a showdown with WBC champion Fury, according to promoter Eddie Hearn, who hopes to secure two blockbuster battles between the Brits in 2021.
Fury has reiterated his desire for an undisputed world title fight, but must firstly overcome Deontay Wilder again in a contracted third clash, while Joshua next defends his belts against IBF mandatory challenger Pulev.
"If I get knocked out by Deontay Wilder, then it won't be on, will it," Fury exclusively told Sky Sports.
"It will be another fight with Wilder and so forth and so on. If he loses to Pulev, so close, but so far away. In heavyweight boxing, you can never count your chickens before they hatch, so one fight at a time. One victory at a time.
"All going well, god willing, we get on the big fight with me and Joshua, the all-British showdown and I can give the fans what they want to see, especially the British fans.
"It will be the biggest fight since I believe Lennox Lewis and Frank Bruno. It was a while ago, Cardiff Arms Park."
But Dillian Whyte is also part of Fury's future plans as the WBC mandatory challenger and will receive his shot at the WBC belt by February 2021.
"He just needs to stop talking rubbish and let's have a go. It will be a major fight. Let's have it out," Whyte told The Boxing Show on Sky Sports News from his training camp for the rescheduled Alexander Povetkin fight.
"If I was such an easy fight, why is he not in any rush to fight me? He said before beating Wilder, when I beat Wilder, I'm going to give Dillian Whyte his title shot. He just talks rubbish.
"This is war, let's go."
Joshua had previously challenged Fury by telling Sky Sports: "Yes, come fight me.
"If you really want to say you're No 1, come fight me. Let's get it on.
"I've got the rest of the belts so it only makes sense.
"I'm the unified heavyweight champion of the world, he's the WBC champion. What it will prove, me and him fighting? There will be one dominant figure in the heavyweight division that will have all of the belts and become undisputed.
"Logically to prove yourself as No 1, I have to fight Tyson Fury. He has to fight Anthony Joshua."
Matchroom Boxing boss Hearn has ended speculation that Wilder and Pulev could accept a 'step aside' deal to allow Joshua-Fury to happen next.
"Wilder is not going to be stepping aside so [Pulev] is the fight for us," Hearn told Sky Sports.
"I had a conversation saying, 'Wilder is not stepping aside, we will take care of that fight, you take care of the Pulev fight, but let's get a deal done for 2021'.
"We have no problem signing now to fight Fury in 2021."
