“Yes, definitely,” Hearn responded when asked if there was a deadline of next year for the bout to happen.Hearn’s comments come as Joshua, 34, prepares to challenge Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title at Wembley Stadium on Saturday. Meanwhile, Fury, 36, is set to face Oleksandr Usyk—the holder of the other three recognised world titles—in a rematch this December.
“I do think AJ-Fury will happen regardless of whether Fury wins or not, but the size of the fight depends on their next two results,” Hearn told BBC Sport.
“If AJ beats Dubois and Fury beats Usyk, you’ve got the biggest fight in the history of the sport ever. If one loses and the other wins, it’s still a monster fight,” Hearn added.
The promoter’s urgency reflects the growing sentiment within the boxing community that time is running out for this generational clash. In June, Joshua himself urged Fury to agree to the fight while both boxers are still “fresh,” though he made it clear he wouldn’t “sit around and wait” indefinitely.
Hearn sees new hope for the bout’s realisation with the substantial investment in boxing from Saudi Arabia.
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