Eddie Hearn Doubts Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder Superfight Will Happen in 2018

Anthony Joshua's agent Eddie Hearn has questioned Tyson Fury's confidence that a superfight between the Gypsy King and Deontay Wilder for the latter's WBC heavyweight title will take place this year.

Speaking to iFLTV's Kugan Cassius (h/t Mirror's Jack Rathborn) two days after Fury had said a deal for the fight had been agreed for December, Hearn said the two may well face each other, but it won't be in 2018:

"What? When he's just fought Sefer Seferi? And now he's fighting 'Andrea Pizza-netta' [Francesco Pianeta].

"Don't be ridiculous. Listen you can be bluffed out by what you want, 'oh wow, yeah, let's tune in to Fury's next fight because if he wins this he's gonna fight Wilder.

"He won't fight [Tony] Bellew, he won't fight Dillian Whyte. He ain't gonna fight Deontay Wilder.

"I'm sure he will next year, he'll fight everybody. But he's got no confidence at the moment; he's just been out the ring for two years.

"But it's a great story to be fair. It's good for the hype."

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Per Rathborn, negotiations for a unification bout between Wilder and Joshua―who holds most of the heavyweight straps―fell through, opening the door for Fury. The Gypsy King told Michelle Joy Phelps of Behind The Gloves on Thursday that a deal had been agreed.

The Bronze Bomber and Fury have been going back and forth on social media:

Fury returned to the ring in June after an absence of over two years, securing an easy win over Seferi, a cruiserweight who moved up to heavyweight for the occasion. His next fight will be against Pianeta, who has lost two of his last three bouts and isn't regarded as a major challenge for the former undisputed champion.

The bout is scheduled for August 18, and the hype surrounding a fight with Wilder comes at a great time to promote the upcoming card. If he beats Pianeta, Fury would have ample time to prepare for Wilder, who would present an altogether different type of challenge.

Like Fury, the Bronze Bomber sports a perfect record, winning all but one of his fights by knockout. While his record doesn't include a ton of big names, he proved his credentials in his last win, beating decorated amateur Luis Ortiz, one of the biggest punchers in the division.

Wilder is older than Fury, but the latter looked rusty in his win against Seferi, which was to be expected after a lengthy layoff. He has also struggled with his weight at times, although his most recent social media posts suggest he's in great shape:

A fight between the two would undoubtedly sell well and could set up another major payday down the road, with Joshua still lurking. Fury is hugely popular in the United Kingdom―if Wilder beats the Gypsy King, he would become an overnight star in the English market, which would help sell a potential Joshua bout.

British fans have been dreaming of a fight between Fury and Joshua for years, and if the former beats Wilder and wins the WBC strap, the two will undoubtedly meet at some point in the near future.