Joshua’s promoter Hearn urges Fury and Wilder to ‘hurry up’ with third fight

The ‘Gypsy King’ arrived back in the UK on Tuesday after beating Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas to win the WBC heavyweight belt.

Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder have been urged by Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn to “hurry up” with their third showdown in order to pave the way for an all-British world heavyweight title unification fight.

WBC champion Fury arrived back in the UK on Tuesday morning, just hours after Wilder – who he stopped inside seven rounds in Las Vegas on Saturday night – had indicated that he wants to exercise his rematch clause.

Wilder’s decision is set to put a Fury-Joshua showdown on the backburner, with the latter set to defend his WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO titles against Kubrat Pulev at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in June.

“He was the champion, he’s lost his belt and wants to win it back.

“I don’t think people want to see the third fight (the first one in December 2018 was a draw). They’ve had 19 rounds now, I think Wilder’s probably won three of them, and in the last fight he didn’t win any and he got battered.

“But I understand the contractual position. He does have a right to a rematch clause and it looks like he’s exercising it.

Josh Warrington Press Conference – Emerald Headingley Stadium — Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn wants the third Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder fight sorted quickly (Bradley Collyer/PA)

Londoner Joshua reclaimed his titles in December when he outpointed Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia to avenge his shock defeat to the Mexican six months earlier.

Pulev is 38 and eight years older than Joshua, but the Bulgarian has been beaten only once in 29 fights – by Wladimir Klitschko in 2014.

“We just hope they get on with it and get it out the way,” Hearn said of Fury-Wilder III.

Deontay Wilder v Tyson Fury II – MGM Grand — Deontay Wilder (left) has indicated he will exercise his rematch clause to fight Tyson Fury again (Bradley Collyer/PA)

“Hopefully Fury can get his out of the way and we can get this done in November/December of this year.

“Let’s get these wins, let’s start negotiating, and make sure it’s all in place.

“No banana skins, all business, AJ beat Pulev at Tottenham Hotspur, Fury beat Wilder again, probably in America, and let’s make it happen.

Sport Review of the Decade — Anthony Joshua is set to defend his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO heavyweight belts against Kubrat Pulev in London in June (Nick Potts/PA)

“To do it at Wembley Stadium would be extremely special.

“We’ve got the chance now to make an undisputed fight between two British heavyweight world champions. We would be daft and mad not to make this happen.”

Hearn confirmed that Dillian Whyte, Fury’s WBC mandatory challenger, will meet Alexander Povetkin in May.

Oleksandr Usyk v Tony Bellew – Manchester Arena — Dillian Whyte is waiting in the wings for a world title shot (Nick Potts/PA)

“The bigger issue is if these guys wait or mess around too long then Whyte might have to fight the winner of Fury-Wilder.

“I’d like them to do third fight in the summer, winner fights Anthony Joshua and then the winner fights Dillian Whyte.

“Whyte is going to fight Povetkin in May in the UK – that’s going to be announced this week. Everyone’s got to keep fighting and winning.”