Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury will not happen this year – Frank Warren explains why

05/04/2024 15:27

Frank Warren has told talkSPORT that Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury will not happen this year, despite Eddie Hearn hoping otherwise.

The Matchroom Boxing chief has said in recent weeks that he is optimistic AJ could get an instant shot at the winner of the undisputed heavyweight world title fight on May 18, but Warren has now mapped out why this is not going to be the case

“No. How many times do we have to tell everybody, the position is really simplistic,” Warren told Alan Brazil and Dean Saunders during a Friday morning appearance on talkSPORT Breakfast.

“Basically, the fight on May 18 in Riyadh, the loser of that fight will have the right to call for a rematch and they will do it because there is such huge amounts of money involved in it.

“After that, I’m sure we will get it on providing Fury wins both of the fights and providing AJ keeps winning.”

Hearn claimed in a recent interview that Joshua’s next fight will be for a version of the heavyweight world title, either a shot at the soon-to-be-vacated IBF crown or a fight against the winner of Fury vs Usyk.

The IBF are next up in the heavyweight sanctioning body rotation system and are due to order their mandatory challenger, Filip Hrgovic, to face the winner of the undisputed fight after May.

However, the heavyweight titans have a rematch clause signed into their contracts, meaning they are unlikely to be able to accept the IBF’s call.

The IBF have already confirmed that they will strip the winner of the four-belt shootout should they proceed with a second bout, and instead order Hrgovic to fight the next-highest-ranked boxer for the vacant title.

Currently, that is Joshua, who is placed at No.3 in the IBF rankings with the No.2 spot still unoccupied.

The IBF route looks considerably more likely due to Fury and Usyk being tied into a two-fight deal.

That being said, there are also reports suggesting Hrgovic will be boxing Daniel Dubois (who is IBF No.4) on June 1 in Saudi Arabia, which throws a spanner in the works.

It is unclear whether this will be for the IBF title at the time of writing, but even if it isn’t, Joshua may have to look elsewhere for his next fight or choose to sit it out until the situation resolves itself.

The Watford powerhouse will likely want to remain active after admitting he only has two years left in the sport.

“I've always said 35,” AJ said on this week’s Jonathan Ross show when asked about when he plans to hang up his gloves.

“I'm 35 in October, I'm thinking another two years or so if my body holds out.

“I've set up certain businesses that I can transition into naturally which don't rely on me being at the forefront."