17 February 2023 , 20:00
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Tyson Fury's promoter Frank Warren has dismissed claims the WBC champion could face Anthony Joshua this summer.
Fury is currently embroiled in talks to face unified world champion Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed titles but a deal has yet to materialise despite several rounds of negotiations. It was initially expected that the fight would land in Saudi Arabia as part of mega-money backing from the Middle East, but fresh reports have indicated the showdown will now take place in the UK at Wembley Stadium if it does take place.
Earlier this week, Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn dropped his thoughts on the negotiations between Fury and Usyk appearing to stall. Hearn told iFL TV: "I have no idea whether Fury-Usyk is going to happen. I can give you my opinion, but I'm telling you if that fight doesn't happen we will take the Fury fight.
"Don't be surprised to see that fight in the summer if that [Usyk] fight doesn't happen. Because that's much bigger than the Usyk fight, much bigger. That's something I've been thinking about lately. Might be a little tinkle to George Warren, but we'll see..."
However in a fresh update on a new round of talks with Usyk's promoter Alex Krassyuk, Warren suggested that Fury's camp will explore alternative options if an undisputed fight is derailed. He wrote in his Daily Star Column: "There is no panic as we move along with discussions for Tyson Fury’s undisputed heavyweight title showdown against Oleksandr Usyk.
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"Wembley Stadium is pencilled in but all the options remain on the table. What we want is what is fair and those details take time. The target date remains April 29 and we are now working out what money can be generated from the fight and how that will be shared out among everyone involved.
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"Usyk’s team are good people, they’re good to work with and the discussions will continue between them, myself and my son George. We are certainly not thinking about Anthony Joshua after claims from a promoter he could step in and fight Fury next. We’ve been there before and the focus is all on making the Usyk fight in a sold out stadium."
Joshua will return at heavyweight after his two defeats to Usyk when he takes on Jermaine Franklin at the O2 arena in London. A win for 'AJ' could revive his title ambitions which may be fast-tracked given his star power particularly on domestic shores.
However Fury has insisted he no longer considers Joshua as a viable option, adding to SPORTbible: "I don't even [want to] go there anymore. Finished. No interest in any AJ questions. Zero. Man's dead in my eyes. There's no business between me and him to be done. Finished. From 2017 to, however long it's been, 2022 - trying to make a fight. So, it's not happening."