Dubai: Boxing history has had its fair share of dream fights that have captivated the attention of the larger sporting world and by the looks of things, another mega-fight is brewing for 2021.
Tyson Fury (30-0-1) vs Anthony Joshua (23-1) is a colossal clash between two world champions who reside at the very summit of the heavyweight division. Should everything go according to plan it is a fight that has the potential to not only be the biggest in British boxing history but in the history of the sport.
SEE MORE
- Football transfer gossip: Chelsea to swoop for PSG's Champions League loser Thiago Silva
- The weekend in sporting quotes: 'Dhoni never fails to amaze me'
- Photos: Bayern Munich edge Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 to claim Champions League
- IPL in UAE: Quarantine means hotel room is gym and call centre for players
Think Joe Louis vs Max Schmeling II (1938), Mohammad Ali vs Joe Frazier (1971) and Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Manny Pacquiao (2015) and you will see that Fury vs Joshua is right up there with the greats and the fight that the whole world is waiting for to happen.
On June 10, 2020 Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn and Fury himself both announced that they had “agreed in principle” to the financial structure for a two-fight deal, likely for 2021.
Although obstacles exist, with Fury’s promoters Frank Warren and Bob Arum not completely sold on the idea but the fact that the two-fight deal with a 50-50 split for the first bout and the winner taking a 60-40 share for the rematch being decided that a very positive sign for top-level boxing.
But let’s not get too carried away as the contracts have yet to be signed although both fighters have time and again revealed that this is the fight that they want.
It all depends on how each fighter’s management work out the rest of the plan.
Fury is co-promoted by Warren’s Queensberry Promotions and Arum’s Top Rank, while Joshua is promoted by Hearn’s Matchroom with Arum reportedly handling negotiations with Hearn.
Then there is the Fury vs Deontay Wilder III fight to consider — something which does not excited the Briton who is convinced that he had outclassed the American in the first, which was declared a controversial draw, and then needed no scorecards when he put out Wilder’s lights in the rematch.
Fury vs Wilder III had initially been scheduled to take place in July 2020, but with the COVID-19 pandemic and an injury to Wilder, it did not materialise.
So, everyone turned to Fury vs Joshua, with plans under way for the next year.
