Anticipating a potential confrontation, boxing impresario Eddie Hearn hints at a potential showdown between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury in 2025.
Prior to Joshua's IBF heavyweight title bout against current champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium this Saturday, promoter Eddie Hearn shared with CNN Sport that a potential title unification fight could soon materialize, contingent on forthcoming developments.
Should Joshua triumph over Dubois and secure the title for a third time, and Fury regains his belts in his impending rematch with Oleksandr Usyk in December, Hearn anticipates an all-British heavyweight clash that could potentially crown the division's undisputed champion in the following year.
"First and foremost, let's handle Saturday. But our aim has always been to witness Anthony Joshua become the undisputed champion," Hearn shared with CNN's Amanda Davies. "He tripped at the penultimate hurdle against Usyk last year, yet now boasting four consecutive victories, three by knockout, and appearing better than ever. If he prevails on Saturday, all eyes will be on December 21 in Riyadh for the Usyk-Fury rematch."
"Is there anyone on this planet who doesn't yearn to see Fury and Joshua square off in the ring?" Hearn posed. "I suspect we'll witness it. I believe Turki Al-AlShaikh will arrange that encounter for 2025, but if both fighters emerge victorious, the sport will witness history's most spectacle-laden fight."
"I doubt AJ can retire, I doubt Fury can retire, and I surely can't call it quits until we see these two lock horns. And if we can make it happen for undisputed championship honors, it will undeniably be an extraordinary night," Hearn added passionately.
Dubois poses a formidable challenge for Joshua on his path to reclaiming the title, coming off of twenty-one victories and two defeats in his 23 professional bouts. Dubois, like Joshua, experienced a setback against Usyk. He successfully clinched the IBF title following his victory over Filip Hrgovic in June.
The British pair will square off in front of a sold-out Wembley Stadium crowd of 96,000 spectators, shattering the historical British boxing attendance record.
Rumors circulating of Liam Gallagher potentially joining his brother Noel on stage for a performance before the fight have tugged at the event's notoriety. Hearn is open to the idea, declaring: "Don't rule anything out."
Hearn acknowledges Joshua's burning desire to win, stemming from his nine-year-long success in the sport, citing his incredible victories, including his iconic conquest over Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium in 2017.
"Speaking with him, he's keen to seize this opportunity with both hands and a lot of times in the past, he has kept his ambitions to himself. But now that he's reached the age of 34, an experienced boxer, he no longer shrouds his intense desire to emerge victorious," Hearn explained.
"This drive that AJ has, having accomplished so much in his career, to persist in polishing his skills at the same level he displayed when he initially set foot in the arena, is a testament to his unparalleled athleticism. And I genuinely believe that Saturday night is merely another chapter in Anthony Joshua's unrivaled career.
"If he emerges victorious on Saturday, robbing the title from Dubois, there's only one more fight standing between him and becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion, Fury and Usyk's showdown later in 2022. Consequently, it promises to be a monumental evening for both Joshua and British boxing."
The preliminary undercard ahead of Joshua's encounter with Dubois kicks off at 4 p.m. (11 a.m. ET), with main event ring walks set for 9:45 p.m. (4:45 p.m. ET).
After securing the IBF heavyweight title against Dubois, Joshua might have the opportunity to fight Tyson Fury for an all-British clash, potentially crowning the division's undisputed champion. With the passion and drive he's shown throughout his career, Joshua aims to become the undisputed champion in the sport of boxing.
