Fury eyes Joshua fight after Usyk defeat

Tyson Fury has set his sights on a blockbuster clash with Anthony Joshua following his unanimous decision loss to undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia, The PUNCH reports.

 The bout, estimated to generate £250m in pay-per-view and box office revenue, has been dubbed “the biggest fight in British boxing history” by promoter Eddie Hearn.

 “It’s what people will want to see. The Fury-Joshua fight is a big fight, and if it happens, it will be a mega fight. But it will only happen if Tyson wants to do it,” Fury’s promoter Frank Warren told The Sun.

 Hearn, who manages Joshua, emphasised the global appeal of the potential clash.

 “Everyone will always want to see it. For me, AJ against Fury is the fight that will take place at Wembley. It will be a global event,” Hearn told Marca.

 Fury’s second defeat to Usyk saw all three judges score the bout 116-112 in favour of the Ukrainian, with ‘The Gypsy King’ storming out of the ring and claiming he had been “robbed.”

 New footage from TNT Sports shows the 36-year-old walking around the Kingdom Arena, criticising the decision to hold the fight in Saudi Arabia, saying, “You get nothing in these countries.”

 Interestingly, Usyk has backed Joshua to defeat Fury if they eventually meet.

 “Maybe Anthony Joshua. Maybe on points,” the Ukrainian told Boxing King Media when asked about the potential matchup between his former opponents.

 The heavyweight king has faced both men, claiming the unified heavyweight titles from Joshua in 2021 and defending them in their 2022 rematch before achieving undisputed status against Fury earlier this year.

 With IBF champion Daniel Dubois scheduled to defend his belt against Joseph Parker on February 22, the path appears clear for the long-awaited Fury vs Joshua showdown, although it would no longer crown an undisputed champion.

 Joshua, 34, who suffered his fourth professional loss against Dubois at Wembley Stadium, is still “hurting” from the devastating defeat, according to Hearn.

 “Yeah, he is hurting. He took a pasting at times in that fight and I think he has got his back up and he wants to come back stronger,” Hearn told talkSPORT.

 Despite recent losses for both men, the potential clash remains one of boxing’s most anticipated matchups, with The Sun reporting that Fury told friends, “This is not over,” signalling his intent to continue his career.