Eddie Hearn: Anthony Joshua focused on Kubrat Pulev, not Tyson Fury
AJ & Hearn
One step at a time for AJ...
Promoter Eddie Hearn says that Anthony Joshua's focus right now is on his fight with Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev not a future unification bout against Tyson Fury.
Joshua and Fury ran into one another while enjoying downtime in Marbella recently, which has drawn a lot of attention towards the prospective future fights between the best of Britain's heavyweights.
Joshua's fight against Pulev is far from a formality. Joshua's 39-year-old opponent was a decorated amateur and has suffered just one loss in his 29 fight professional career.
"I was with AJ last night, he's in good spirits, he is starting camp now for Kubrat Pulev," Hearn told Sky Sports.
"Obviously he bumped into Tyson Fury on the streets of Marbella recently, there is an agreement between the two of them and the parties to take those fights next year, two of them in 2021. We are in a good place but of course as the world has shown us in 2020 anything can happen and right now the focus for AJ is on Kubrat Pulev, the focus for Tyson Fury is Deontay Wilder, again."
Hearn revealed that Joshua's fight with Pulev will likely take place in early December although he could not confirm if the venue will be changed with the bout originally scheduled to take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The Matchroom mogul had previously mentioned there was a chance that he could stage the bout in a castle.
"AJ's fight date is looking like early December we are going to be planning that and announcing that," Hearn said.
Hearn on Joshua-Fury Marbella meeting
The promoter feels that that meeting between Fury and Joshua in Marbella was a whole lot more awkward than people might have imagined it to be considering neither man was expecting the encounter.
"I think it was probably a bit awkward to be honest with you because although people thought it was staged, it definitely wasn't," Hearn opined while conceding that he doesn't know exactly what was said between the two prize-fighters.
"I think it was just like 'make sure you beat Wilder', 'make sure you beat Pulev' I think the two respect each other."
Hearn could not help but look ahead to what is the most anticipated fight in world boxing.
"There is going to be build-up," Hearn added.
"There is going to be backwards and forwards, two very different characters as well. And this is the biggest fight in boxing, I think both guys are on board, and they just need to get the job done in December."
