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Eddie Hearn, promoter for IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, indicates that a finalized deal for a unification with WBC champion Tyson Fury has now moved a step closer.
Top Rank’s CEO Bob Arum, who co-promotes Fury, stated in a recent interview that a summer fight with Joshua was “dead in the water.”
Arum and Fury had become frustrated with the delay in securing a binding site free agreement from Saudi Arabia to host the event. A group in the country is offering a reported $150 million to secure the hosting rights.
Hearn has revealed that a long form agreement, regarding the site fee, has been received by both sides.
At the moment, the respective legal teams for both sides are reviewing the contracts.
“You heard from Frank Warren last night, who said quite rightly, last night we received the contract from the Middle East,” Hearn told Sky Sports Box Office.
“All sides’ lawyers have got to go through that and make sure they’re happy with it. But we’re all systems go. This fight is on, this fight is happening. As I told everyone last week, back and forwards with the drafts. I believe you’ll get an announcement next week. I don’t know what else to tell you. I saw Bob Arum’s comments, ‘The fight is dead’. I don’t know where that came from. We know what we’re doing and that’s now been acknowledged by the other side, which is nice.
“It’s a process that has to go through our legal team. Obviously from their side, that’s three or four other parties. Their individual lawyers want to look at it as well. By tomorrow evening, everyone’s comments will be back on the long-form agreement. I remember with Mayweather-Pacquiao, it went on, and on, and on. That fight happened when those guys weren’t in their prime. Right now, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are in the absolute prime of their career. You will get this fight next, and you will get it for the undisputed world championship. We cannot move any quicker.”