Eddie Hearn has broken his silence on a report that a mega heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua has been agreed

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua (Image: Getty)

Eddie Hearn has shut down the claim that a mega fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua has been finalised. Fury will make his return to the ring after a 15-month absence when he takes on Arslanbek Makhmudov in a bout at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next month.

But it was claimed over the weekend that Fury and Joshua had agreed terms for a fight that would take place later this year or early next year. However, when asked about the claim, Hearn told The Stomping Ground: “It’s completely untrue. There is absolutely nothing signed with Anthony Joshua to fight Tyson Fury next. There is nothing agreed.”

The Matchroom chief then continued: “There has been conversations and deep conversations prior to the accident that he was going to fight Jake Paul, then he was gonna fight in February or March in Saudi Arabia, then he was gonna fight Tyson Fury.

“Again, nothing signed, and then obviously the accident happened. Since then, there has been no conversations really, about that fight, other than in the last few days, conversations with Dr Rakan, Sela, starting to think about revisiting the plan.

“And I will go into camp with Anthony Joshua next week, when he starts, and we will start having conversations about what is next.”

Fury revealed last month that the deaths of two of Joshua’s friends in a car crash in December was the catalyst for his return to boxing. Joshua’s personal trainer, Latif Ayodele, and strength coach, Sina Ghami, died on 29 December after their vehicle collided with a stationary lorry near Lagos, Nigeria.

While Joshua was treated in hospital for his injuries. And Fury said: “Tomorrow might not ever come and I suppose the biggest turning point in this comeback for me was the tragedy that happened with Anthony Joshua.

Tyson Fury at the launch press conference for his fight against Arslanbek Makhmudov (Image: Getty)

“I was on holiday with my family in Thailand for Christmas just to get away from the rain. I was sick of the rain, it was depressing me and then I hear all about the bad news that’s gone on and I thought, ‘You know what, life is very, very short and very precious and very fragile and anything can happen at any given moment’.

“You should never put things off until tomorrow, or next year, or next week because tomorrow is not promised to nobody.

“The Bible says tomorrow is not a gift, tomorrow ain’t promised, tomorrow is a mystery, so we have to live for today.

“Me living for that day, I made my mind up there and then I was going to come back to boxing because it’s something I love, I am passionate about and I have always been in love with. There is no tomorrow, so that’s why I am back today.”