World Boxing News recently commissioned an article listing significant question marks to Anthony Joshua continually calling out Tyson Fury.
Debunking many of those reasons in this follow-up, everybody knows a unification overrules a mandatory.
This is something previously covered and confirmed by WBN on many occasions. Therefore, there are now just two things that stand in the way.
Firstly, there’s Deontay Wilder. And secondly, the coronavirus crowd conundrum.
Anthony Joshua
If the 30-year-old and promoter Eddie Hearn could somehow persuade Wilder to step aside and are willing to fight in Fury in front of no fans, we could conceivably have a UK super-fight.
As things stand, Joshua and Hearn seem to think consistently using UK media to get their message out will make the fight happen. Still, they really need to concentrate on connecting with Shelly Finkel and Wilder himself.
So far, WBN has been told this hasn’t happened. Maybe because Finkel has consistently told WBN Wilder won’t step aside, the least the Brit pair could do is make contact.
They haven’t. So at the moment, it’s a non-starter.
It could be that Joshua and Hearn know full well they will not consider fighting Fury with no crowd. Hence no real effort on their part.
In the current climate, they should be acceptable anyway to Fury vs Wilder III and wait as long as possible for COVID-19 to have a vaccine.
That could take eighteen months, but with Joshua and Fury barely in their 30’s, it’s no big deal.
Previously, it was written that there were several significant flaws in Joshua’s plan to fight Fury now. Something he and Hearn both know but continue to ignore.
But these questions have answers. Only ONE of the ten reasons listed is relevant, as WBN believes.
Here’s why:
Fury vs Joshua vs Wilder
Original 10 question marks:
- Joshua has to fight Kubrat Pulev next. If he doesn’t, he loses the IBF title.
- The Pulev fight is signed.
- Joshua then has to fight Oleksandr Usyk. If he doesn’t, he loses the WBO title.
- Fury has to fight Deontay Wilder next. It’s contracted and already signed.
- Fury then has to fight Dillian Whyte. It’s already been ordered by the WBC.
- Pulev will not step aside. He’s made this clear.
- Wilder will not step aside. He’s made this clear.
- Whyte will not step aside. He’s made this clear.
- Usyk will not step aside. He’s made this clear.
- Fury vs Joshua will happen at Wembley Stadium. Nowhere else. So summer 2021 would be the earliest.
Answers:
- Joshua can ask for an exception to face Fury. That’s at the IBF’s discretion, though.
- The Pulev fight is signed. But waving a big fat check in front of the Bulgarian could solve that.
- Joshua can also ask the WBO for an exception. That’s also at the WBO’s discretion.
- Fury does have to fight Wilder next. That’s Wilder’s contract and his decision.
- Fury can ask the WBC for an exception and offer Whyte a step aside.
- It will depend on how much money is offered.
- That could be the toughest nut to crack.
- Whyte is signed to Hearn. Could be persuaded to delay if offered big money and a contract guarantee.
- Usyk is also signed to Hearn. Similar could be asked of the Ukrainian.
- This could be a sticking point. But coronavirus is much more likely to delay than the weather.
Added to Wilder is the clear and plain fact Fury vs Joshua needs fans. That’s a one hundred percent guarantee.
2021 is much more likely, anyway. If there is no vaccine by the summer, 2022 comes into play.
As things stand right now, Fury vs Wilder III is next. Joshua vs Pulev is next. That’s certainly the end of the story if Wilder cannot be persuaded.
