Only Defeat or Injury Can Stop Joshua-Fury Bout, Says Hearn

Promoter Eddie Hearn has dismissed doubts raised by Tyson Fury regarding the long-awaited heavyweight showdown against Anthony Joshua, asserting that only a loss or injury this weekend can derail the planned November bout.

Both British boxing stars are stepping into the ring this weekend for warm-up fights. Fury, 37, faces Poland’s Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand, on Friday, while 36-year-old Joshua takes on Albania’s Kristian Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday.

Fury recently cast doubt on the matchup happening later this year, suggesting he could face an alternative opponent. However, Hearn challenged Fury’s reliability, highlighting Joshua’s consistent history of fulfilling fight commitments and noting that past negotiations fell through due to Fury’s side.

Saturday’s match marks Joshua’s first professional return since a tragic car crash in Nigeria last December that claimed the lives of two close friends and team members, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele. Joshua admitted he is still coping with the emotional grief of the loss following his previous knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois in September 2024.

Hearn maintained that provided both fighters navigate their weekend bouts safely, the anticipated ‘Battle of Britain’ remains on track for November.