Simon Jordan explains why Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury is NOT the biggest heavyweight fight to make
07/11/2023 18:24
Simon Jordan believes Anthony Joshua would draw the biggest pay-per-views in boxing right now – but not in a fight against Tyson Fury.
Fury fought Ngannou last month and claimed a narrow victory in controversial circumstances, but while he failed to impress in the ring, the numbers surrounding the fight were hardly bright either.
Reports have emerged that PPV buys were as small as 70,000 in the United States, though it should be stressed these are unconfirmed.
For context, Fury’s trilogy bout against Deontay Wilder is said to have sold nearly 10 times that amount in America yet talkSPORT host Jordan does not believe he has the same draw as Joshua – at least not for now.
AJ has consistently sold fights that have sold more than 1m PPVs such as clashes against Wladimir Klitschko, Oleksandr Usyk and Andy Ruiz Jr.
“It may well be the Adam Catterall argument,” Jordan told talkSPORT’s boxing channel. “When you look at Fury’s body of work – six title fights, three against the same fella, two against others he has already beaten.
“And then you look at Joshua’s, he has had 12 world title fights and his body of work on paper looks more significant.
“You look at the PPVs that Anthony has gotten, whether it was 1.2 million or 1.4 million against Joseph Parker or whatever it is. (note: Joshua vs Parker sold 1.8 million on Sky Box Office)
“I think there is a debate that he got a million, or the best part of, against Robert Helenius [in his last fight].
“If you put Joshua in the fight against Ngannou, I think he would have got more [buys that Fury].”
Oliver then insisted that the biggest fight that would make the most PPVs right now would be Fury vs Joshua, but Jordan disagreed.
Jordan added: “We are in danger of being in an echo chamber where we look through the eyes of a UK boxing scene because I am not entirely sure the world scene looks at Anthony Joshua right now as a viable challenger to Tyson Fury based on his last two performances.
“Albeit, now that has been thrown upside down, as people will look at Tyson Fury in a different way. I don’t think that fight determines the outcome of the Oleksandr Usyk fight.
“I think the biggest boxing fight in heavyweight boxing right now, for intrigue and cross-Atlantic engagement and potential value, is Joshua vs Wilder.
“That is a shootout, it is not a case of a big man fighting a smaller cruiserweight.”
Joshua and Wilder have been tipped to meet in the ring soon despite a deal with Saudi Arabia falling through.
AJ has not fought since knocking Helenius out in the seventh round in August 2023 – just his second fight since losing his IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles to Usyk.
While many have tipped Joshua to fight Fury in the future, there has been little progress on a deal to make such a bout happen.
