Eddie Hearn believes that Tyson Fury is not particularly eager to face Oleksandr Usyk, despite agreeing terms to fight.
Fury and Usyk are set to meet for the undisputed heavyweight crown, potentially on December 23 in Saudi Arabia, providing ‘The Gypsy King’ overcomes Francis Ngannou next Saturday.
Hearn, the career-long promoter of Anthony Joshua, is still hopeful that ‘AJ’ and WBC champion, Fury will eventually clash after several failed negotiations.
The Matchroom boss expects the 35-year-old to defeat the Ukrainian unified world champion, but feels that he is not itching to face him.
“It will be the biggest fight of all-time,” Hearn said on the Stick To Football podcast.
“But you just never know [with Fury].
“Fury could hang them up. I don’t think he really is over the moon to fight Usyk.
“He just knows it’s a really tough fight.
“I think Fury wins and I think he thinks he wins, but he also knows how good Usyk is.
“But they come up with the money and if they come up with the money, he’ll fight.
“But he thinks he can beat AJ as well, but he may take that fight [against Usyk] and go missing.”
Hearn was looking to pit Joshua against Deontay Wilder later this year, but talks for a Saudi Arabia showdown have collapsed and ‘AJ’ is likely to now return in December against an alternative opponent.
The 34-year-old Watford man has not fought since a showreel knockout of late-replacement Robert Helenius in August.
Hearn says Joshua and Fury, who failed to seal a deal last October, have to fight each other before their careers are over.
“Even if AJ loses to Wilder and Fury loses to Usyk, we have to see that fight.
“In an ideal word, and I’m obviously biased, I think AJ beats Wilder.
“And I believe he beats Fury, I believe he’s got the style to do it.”
