18 December 2023 , 09:57
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Anthony Joshua has been told he won't be fighting Tyson Fury any time soon.
Joshua and Fury have long been on a collision course but have thus far failed to agree terms for what would be one of the biggest fights in British boxing history, regardless of the belts on the line. And with Joshua set to take on Otto Wallin on Saturday - and possibly Deontay Wilder in March - while Fury is preparing to face Oleksandr Usyk, a domestic clash seems further away than ever.
"He'd have a long wait for Tyson," Fury's promoter Frank Warren told Sky Sports. "Tyson's got his fight and his programme's set out for next year and at this moment in time doesn't include Joshua. Joshua, he had two opportunities to fight him [Fury], one last December and this year. Those fights didn't happen for whatever reason and the situation is now that we are in a position where a number of big fights will be announced. It all depends what happens on Saturday."
Joshua and Wilder must overcome Wallin and Joseph Parker respectively in Saudi Arabia this weekend in order to set up a clash which has been pencilled in for March 9, back in the Kingdom. The eventual winner would be the mandatory challenger to whoever holds the WBC title after Fury faces Usyk on February 17.
"The joint-main events have a lot of significance as far as boxing's concerned in as much that Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder are involved in quite tasty and tough fights and should they come through then they're going to be in a position where I believe they're going to be facing off next year," Warren added.
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"That's a massive, massive fight. A fight that a lot of people, certainly the fans talk about a lot. But to get there they've got to get through Saturday night in Riyadh. Get it out of the way on Saturday and all will be revealed but there's a will to make this happen and I'm quite sure everybody's going to be happy with the outcome provided these guys deliver. The most important thing for them, they've got to deliver."