Eddie Hearn vs. Anthony Joshua Tyson Fury got the unification deal; Fury says he stopped training

It seems to be one step closer to the biggest boxing fight. Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have signed a two-fight contract to reconcile the recognized four-weight world championship. Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn told ESPN. The parties have announced that they will address two fights in 2021, the first in the summer and the rematch in November or December. Senior President Bob Arum was not mentioned in the report.

There are still obstacles to be cleared, as the location and date of the fight must be determined – and agreed upon by all involved. But a signed contract would bring boxing closer to an undeniable heavyweight champion for the first time since Lennox Lewis first won WBC, WBA and IBF titles in 1999.

WBC champion Fury has been increasingly frustrated in recent months as a result of a complicated negotiation process as fighters, their promoters and rival networks have had to get on the same page.

“We would like to ratify the agreement for a site next month,” said Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn he told ESPN. “It’s hard for everyone to put a pen on paper. But that was a big effort to move forward from all sides. You had rival promoters, enemy networks and rival fighters.”

On MTK Global on Friday in Bolton, England, Fury said he quit wrestling training and started drinking while Joshua waited to enter the ring with IBF, WBA and WBO champion.

“I’m not training anymore,” Fury said in an interview at the event. “I don’t train anymore. I’ve never stopped training since December 2017. And even after these world title fights, I trained the next day. I run 10 miles, do things. I’m training in the gym and I’m taking some time out of the game at the moment, because, as I said, I’ve been ready to fight since I won Deontay Wilder last year.I haven’t been successful in getting another fight.It’s in the hands of COVID and a lot is happening.At the moment, I’m focused on getting Stella 10 pints every day 12 pints.

“… Everyone in this building knows more about this fight than I do. It looks like it’s done, it’s signed. We have a date, a place. News for me. I don’t know Jack. I don’t know anything about me, I’m not even training. I’ve stopped training . [Trainer] Sugar Hill [Steward] he has gone home. He went home in November, in late November. [Assistant trainer] Andy Lee has gone home. I’m burnt out, you know? I need to rest, mentally and physically and emotionally. ”

The deal says Fury is demanding a similar structure to the second and third fights scheduled with Deontay Wilder, with the first fight bag leveled and the winner winning a larger 60-40 split difference in the rematch.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum Fury on Friday tracked Fury’s frustration and said he had suspended training in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic due to delays in the fight.

“Look, they’re all stuck in the same thing, coronavirus. No one is going to put money into it while it affects the audience and everyone. Not all of these athletes are happy, but I’m not happy either. Be patient and it will be corrected.”

A few days after making those comments, however, it seems the deal is over and all the difficulties surrounding the titanic clash have been rectified, at least according to Hearn.

“For me, Anthony and his team are talking to 258 management, I know how hard we’ve worked over the last couple of months and I think this fight is so big, it’s not hard to sell,” Hearn told ESPN. “We’ve already had approaches from eight or nine sites. Offers have come from a number of countries in the Middle East, from Asia, Eastern Europe and America.”