John Fury has doubts over whether a potential ‘Battle of Britain’ fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will go ahead.
It all started so well when Fury first proposed a fight to Joshua, following his loss against Oleksandr Usyk, as the pair agreed within a matter of days for a bout on December 3, with a 60/40 split in favour of ‘The Gypsy King’.
As is often the case in boxing, the smooth sailing did not last long, as there has been a significant delay in signing the contracts and John thinks that is down to Joshua’s team not having the confidence that he will beat Fury.
“We wanted AJ, but I don’t think he’s going to sign the contract. I don’t think it’s going to be done,” John told talkSPORT via freebets.com.
“I’ve been speaking to the lawyers this morning and they confirmed that Tyson will be boxing on the 3rd of December come what may.
“So, we’re going to have to select an opponent and whoever’s up to the job can have it.
“We wanted AJ, but it’s looking like it’s not going to happen in December.
“I think someone’s backside is twitching, and that’s AJ’s or AJ’s team. I don’t think it’s AJ who’s backing down, but the commercial team.
“It’s a business to them. They’re on this massive ego trip and I don’t think any of them, especially Eddie Hearn wants to lose to ‘The Gypsy King.’
“They don’t mind losing to anybody else, but when it comes to the thought of losing to ‘The Gypsy King’, it hurts them.
“It’s an ego problem. They should have signed the contract or give a viable excuse as to why they can’t do it.
“All AJ had to say was, ‘Look, I’ve just fought Usyk, I’m not up for it, my head is somewhere else, and I need more time’. We would have understood that.
“But, he wanted to give it the big un, ‘I’ll do this, I’ll do that’, but in all the process Tyson’s put it on him, dogged him and what have we got back? Nothing but a load of excuses.
“Listen. They are what they are these people. They either fight or they don’t fight. It’s the Tyson Fury show. The Gypsy King. All roads lead to him. If AJ doesn’t want a golden opportunity, given the position he’s in, they are fools.
“I almost feel sorry for Joshua with Eddie Hearn, I wouldn’t want him managing me. So far to my recollection, he’s cost AJ about £120million and got him beat three times. So, I wouldn’t want Eddie Hearn managing me or my fighters.
“Tyson’s offered him a golden opportunity. Who gets a shot at the WBC title coming off a loss? No-one.
“Tyson almost offered him 50 per cent of everything. If AJ would have twisted Tyson’s arm, he’d have given him it too. Because Tyson wanted the fight.”
If not Joshua, then Fury will need a replacement opponent for December 3 and 37-year-old former WBA ‘regular’ champion, Mahmoud Charr, looks like the front runner, but John is convinced that his son will be taking on a top five ranked heavyweight.
“He can fight Andy Ruiz, he can fight Ortiz, whoever’s out there, he’ll fight them,” John said.
“It’s frustrating though as it’s like being promised a Rolls Royce for Christmas and instead getting a Ford Cortina.
“Is it going to sell? The hype is on the Fury-AJ fight. When people think they’re getting that and then they don’t, can you sell another fight? I don’t know.
“He’ll be fighting someone credible in the top five. He can beat them all anyway, so it doesn’t matter who it is. He can beat them all in a row.”
