Bob Arum on Anthony Joshua: “If he were to return to the ring right now with a rage, it would become a massacre”
By: Sean Crose
There has been a lot of talk in the past few days about WBC heavyweight and heavyweight champion Tyson Fury going to fight former WBA, IBF and WBO player Anthony Joshua before the end of the year. However, Fury’s co-promoter Bob Arum doesn’t see the Fury-Joshua fight happening so soon.
“I don’t think it will happen,” said Arum Boxing King Media on Thursday, “because while Fury wants that to happen, I’ve put myself in the shoes of Eddie Hearn (Joshua promoter) and Joshua. And after losing to Usyk twice, the first thing you want to do is get him back in the ring and get him two games to restore his confidence. Sure enough, Joshua recently lost to Usyk again, the man who pulled his belt last year.
“If he were to go back to the ring with Fury now,” Arum said of Joshua, “it would be a massacre.”
Arum was asked about the 60/40 split Fury offered Joshua. “I think that’s pretty fair,” Arum admitted. “I mean Joshua isn’t a champ anymore…hey, if Fury is willing to do that, I’ll definitely go with it, but again,” he added, “don’t jump. I don’t believe Fury against Joshua is going to happen this year because everything that I know about boxing from Joshua’s point of view indicates it’s not going to happen.”
So, is Fury still planning a rematch this year, even if it doesn’t have to go up against a celebrity or even a challenge like Joshua? “Fury will definitely fight this year,” Arum said, “(he) will definitely fight in Great Britain.” Arum wants to say that he recently spoke with Egis Klimas, the promoter of Usyk.
“Please don’t rush us,” Arum quoted Klimas as saying, “we will fight (against Tyson Fury) in the first quarter of next year.” If that proves to be the case, then Fury and Usyk will fight for the undisputed world heavyweight championship before next spring…provided, of course, that Fury overcomes his next opponent. me, whoever it is.
“If this Joshua fight doesn’t materialize,” Arum said, “and I believe it won’t, then Frank and George, Queensbury and the rest of us, will find a suitable opponent for Fury to fight. fighting in Great Britain.”
