Anthony Joshua ‘won’t sleep at night’ until he beats Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk winner to become undisputed
The Watford powerhouse faces Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title on September 21, while Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk duke it out for the other three major sanctioning body world titles (WBC, WBA and WBO) on December 21.
Providing he beats ‘Triple D’, a fight against the winner of Usyk vs Fury 2 for all the marbles is expected to come next.
British boxing fans will be hoping Fury can avenge his split decision defeat to Usyk and set up the long-awaited domestic showdown between him and AJ.
However, Joshua is just as motivated by a trilogy bout with the Ukrainian slickster after dropping a pair of decisions to him in 2021 and 2022.
He wants to beat Usyk,” Hearn Sr told Sky Sports. “Because the first fight he had with Usyk, frankly he came out second best.
“He went away, he regrouped, he learned, he studied and he still got beat in the second fight. That’s why he got so disappointed in the second fight.
It’s a split decision and it was close, but Anthony Joshua’s a very special type of sportsman. The money’s great.
“He’s got more than enough money, you could float a battleship if you put all his cash in one locker. But they want to win.
These people want to win and they want a legacy. I don’t think Anthony Joshua will sleep at night until he is unified.”
Even if ‘The Gypsy King loses the rematch, there is a chance Joshua vs Fury could happen next.
“Joshua against Tyson Fury in early 2025 is the fight that we have a responsibility to deliver and we don’t walk away from our responsibilities,” Hearn added.
Yes, I think it’s all of our duty, those involved. We have to keep delivering the very best product.
“We need to do that fight. I think personally that Usyk beats Fury in the rematch.
“It’s easier to make if Fury beats Usyk, because then if Joshua has beaten [Daniel] Dubois then you’ve got the unification fight because Joshua will hold the IBF belt.
“Usyk is a top-class world champion as a boxer, but doesn’t have the commercial appeal of Tyson Fury.
So whatever happens in Fury-Usyk still assuming that AJ has won – and mustn’t get carried away with that, it’s not a foregone conclusion – assuming that AJ is victorious in that fight, there is no bigger fight in the world still than Fury and AJ.
It’s the one the world’s waiting for. There isn’t a venue big enough to stage the number of people that would like to attend that. It will be colossal.”
