Anthony Joshua Doesn't Think Tyson Fury Was Serious About Fighting Him, Hearn Says

The war of words keeps chugging along between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua—even if a fight feels as far away as ever.

On Saturday, it was Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, calling out Fury by telling Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix on DAZN he doesn't believe the Gypsy King had any intention of getting a contract done:

A megafight between Fury and Joshua to unify the heavyweight title belts has been on the table for more than a year now, but contractual issues between Fury and Deontay Wilder have kept them from finalizing an agreement.

Following Fury's technical knockout of Wilder in the seventh round of their heavyweight bout in February 2020, the Bronze Bomber quickly triggered the trilogy clause in his contract with the WBC champ, but the fight has yet to materialize.

Part of that is due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Part of it is due to Wilder's camp asking to push the bout back further into 2021. Whatever the holdup, Fury decided he wanted to move on. Soon he and Hearn found out that wouldn't be possible.

A U.S. court ruled Wilder is owed a third fight before mid-September after he exercised the trilogy clause. That put talks with Joshua back on hold as Fury and Wilder agreed to meet in Las Vegas on July 24 to satisfy their contract.

Naturally, the decision hasn't sat well with the Joshua camp, which is under an obligation by the WBO to face top challenger Oleksandr Usyk.

If and when Fury and Joshua are able to make a deal work, it'll be arguably the biggest bout in British boxing history as both men try to become the first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis—another England native—in 2000.

It just doesn't appear either camp is ready to get back to the bargaining table just yet.