No contract, no place, and no agreement exists. Hearn made it clear that the situation was overblown, explaining that there had been discussions early on and nothing had gotten past that stage.
The organizer pointed to the recent claims about places and times as premature, saying that the process has not reached a point where the date or site can be discussed in depth.
Part of Hearn’s frustration may be directed at reports from Gareth A. Davies, who said the Fury-AJ fight was “signed” to Netflix. Hearn had to go on a press tour just to make that point, which explains why he’s bringing back the “basics.”
“Gareth Davies was jumping the gun a lot. Kalle (Sauerland) had a big jump,” Hearn told the media.
It feels like Hearn is trying to manage expectations in a year when his biggest star (Joshua) is dealing with a personal crisis and his biggest payday (Fury) is the result of being ineffective if Makhmudov is struggling.
“There is no agreement between AJ and Fury. There is no signed contract. There is no place that is agreed upon. Nothing,” said Hearn.
“We don’t even have a proposed contract for a date, a place, nothing. Just discussions on how to get to that fight.”
Venues such as Wembley, Croke Park, and Riyadh have been mentioned, but those are options rather than decisions, with no official structure behind them at the moment.
Hearn also hinted that Joshua’s next move could come before any Fury fight is finalized. A return in July is still on the agenda, with Joshua expected to fight first before resuming the Fury talks. No opponent has been identified, and the names that have been circulated publicly have not yet been part of internal discussions.
It makes sense why Hearn’s power was felt so little. There’s a lot of “wait and see” going on right now, and you’re clearly tired of responding to unfounded rumors.
Tyson Fury is scheduled to face Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. This is Fury’s first fight in 16 months since he “retired” following the loss to Usyk.
Hearn’s lack of enthusiasm is probably due to the fact that Makhmudov is a big, dangerous puncher. If Fury loses or looks bad, the “big fight” value of Joshua’s game drops significantly. Until that April 11 result comes in, Hearn can’t plan anything with certainty.
Joshua’s situation is intense because of more than just boxing. He is coming back after a horrific car accident in Nigeria earlier this year that claimed the lives of two best friends.
Hearn aims to return in July, but is defensive. He won’t commit to a name until AJ is fully back in camp and shows he’s mentally and physically ready.
Names like Moses Itauma (who recently destroyed Jermaine Franklin) are being called, but that is a big risk for a comeback fight. Hearn probably needs a reliable win to get the engine going again.
