WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury 30-0-1 (21) has cast fresh doubt on whether his mooted four-belt unification bout with WBA, WBO and IBF counterpart Anthony Joshua 24-1 (22) will ever take place.
The 32-year-old self-styled Gypsy King revealed the fight is no closer to being signed than it was a year ago but insisted he will still fight twice this year regardless of who stands in the opposite corner.
“They’ve had a full year to try and make this fight happen. It is what it is. We’re no further forward today than we were a year ago,” Fury said to ESPN.
“The way it is at the moment [with Covid-19], I don’t think it has got much to do with the fighters. It’s to do with the venue, date, place, site fees. It’s to do with everything but the fight itself.”
Meanwhile, Joshua took a cheeky swipe at Fury in an interview with Sky News.
“[The pandemic] is getting close to things being normal. We’re working on a date for around June,” the 31-year-old said.
“So if Tyson is serious, which I think he is, he’ll know where to come and find the boss!
“I’m ready. I’m really looking forward to competition – all I want to do is fight, fight, fight!”
The host country for the proposed bout still remains to be resolved, with Saudi Arabia, America, Qatar, Dubai, Singapore and China all still in the running.
Joshua isn’t fazed when the fight happens, as long as it happens.
“Any option. Home turf, Middle East, my back garden, your back garden. I don’t mind where it is,” he said.
“I’m just ready to fight. I want that belt. I want to compete with Fury so all options are open to me.”
On Tuesday, Joshua provided an update on negotiations on social media: “Another positive meeting with 258 Management. They’ve informed me things are shaping up nicely. They will be sharing the update with Eddie and you’ll be hearing from me soon.
“I’ll be undisputed.”
He explained to Sky News: “I try not to do too much teasing. I had a catch-up with 258 Management, the great team I’ve been working with since I turned professional.
“They have been working in negotiations. They updated my promotional team, they updated me.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn updated Sky Sports earlier this month: “Contracts have been backwards and forwards. Only minor details to be resolved on both ends. We’re in a good place.
“AJ was in the office yesterday with us. We had a good meeting to finalise our side of stuff.
“We’re on the verge now of getting this fight done. We want to make sure the ink is dry, and then we’ll go out and finalise the site details.”
Meanwhile, in the wake of Josh Warrington’s recent shock loss to Mauricio Lara on February 14 after a lengthy layoff, Fury reflected on his own inactivity on social media.
“I should have boxed, because I’ve been so inactive,” Fury tweeted. “By the time I fight again, looking at maybe June if this Joshua fight happens, that will be a year and six months out of the ring, which is not ideal preparation for any superfight.
“If that fight [against Joshua] doesn’t happen this summer, it’s got to happen sooner or later.” {RINGNEWS24)
