Promoter Eddie Hearn is hoping Tyson Fury will agree to a clash with Anthony Joshua, but it all could have been so different if his Wladimir Klitschko prediction came true.
Hearn thought Fury would come unstuck against Klitschko back in 2015 despite being rooting for the Briton when he challenged the unified world ruler in front of a packed crowd in Dusseldorf.
As we all know, Fury passed the test with flying colors, nullifying Klitschko’s work to crown his defining night in style.
But Hearn wasn’t so sure after Fury secured his dream shot at Klitschko in Germany on Monday.
‘The Gypsy King’ went into the fight as a massive underdog to dethrone the long-reigning champion.
Fury earned praise for having the right team around him to help in his mammoth task, although Hearn saw the former British champion coming up short.
“Tyson Fury is a quality young fighter. But he hasn’t been in with the quality of Klitschko,” Hearn told Sky Sports at the time.
“People struggle with Klitschko’s size. Fury has a size advantage over Klitschko and is very unorthodox.
“He’s also unusual in his approach and tactics. Peter Fury is a very bright man. He’s got a chance in the fight.
KMGTYSON FURY vs. AJ
“I hope Fury wins. That would open the door for huge fights in the division with Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder. I’d love to see him do it.
“On paper, I don’t think he does. But I rate him, and I certainly think he has a shot in the fight,” added the Matchroom boss.
Even six years ago, Hearn was eyeing up a huge UK clash with Olympic gold medallist Joshua. Despite Fury’s win, the UK fans are still waiting for it to happen somewhere down the line.
In Hearn’s defense, he was adamant that ‘AJ’ still had some learning to do before mixing it at the very top level in 2015.
“Probably this time next year, we’ll see him involved in, if not world title fights, fringe ‘elite’ fights.
“He has got people to deal with domestically, and you’ve got to understand that he wants to go through everybody.
Joshua defeated Charles Martin five months later for a title the IBF stripped from Fury within days of the new champion securing his lifelong destiny.
Five years on, and we might get the fight that everyone in the United Kingdom is keeping their fingers crossed happens.
World Boxing News has had over one billion views since its inception in 2010. Follow us on Facebook @officialworldboxingnews and Twitter @worldboxingnews.
