ANTHONY JOSHUA will be ready for a Tyson Fury super-fight in the summer if talks to unify the division collapse.
Fury and Usyk are closing in on a deal for the heavyweight division’s first ever four-belt undisputed title decider.
Anthony Joshua ahead of his return fightRichard Pelham / The Sun
Tyson Fury is still in talks to fight Oleksandr UsykREUTERS
But the historic unification now looks set to land at Wembley instead of Saudi Arabia.
It would also leave the pound-for-pound stars needing to take a pay cut due to the inflated sums on offer in the Middle East.
Promoter Eddie Hearn remains sceptical on whether terms can be agreed between Fury, 34, and Usyk, 36.
And he claimed Joshua, 33, will be ready to capitalise if he beats Jermaine Franklin, 29, in his April 1 return.
Hearn told iFL TV: “I don’t know what’s gonna happen with this Usyk thing. He may fight Fury next.
“We’d be open to that fight. If Usyk doesn’t fight Fury, AJ will fight Fury next, in the summer if he gets through Franklin.
“How about that? Stick that in your pipe and smoke it. He will.”
Joshua has lost twice to Usyk on the spin, surrendering the WBA, IBF and WBO belts.
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But he returns in a bid to boost his confidence against Franklin, the American beaten by Dillian Whyte, 34, in November.
Meanwhile, April 29 in London is the target date for Fury to unify the belts against Usyk.
But Hearn warned not to rule out AJ and finally fighting his great rival, believing it is bigger than the undisputed bout.
Hearn added: “I have no idea whether Fury-Usyk is going to happen or not. I can give you my opinion.
“But I’m telling you, if that fight doesn’t happen, we will take the Fury fight.
“He will take that fight, he will take the [Deontay] Wilder fight, he’ll take them all.
“But don’t be surprised to see that fight in the summer if the other one doesn’t happen because that’s much bigger than the Usyk fight. Much bigger.
“So, just something I’ve been thinking about lately. Might be a little tinkle to George Warren. But we’ll see.”
PAAnthony Joshua with promoter Eddie Hearn[/caption] Read More