Fury went over to Joshua at ringside, trying to force the start of the promotion, but it didn’t lead to a face-off inside the ring. After the fight, Fury questioned why Joshua did not step in and suggested he did not want the fight. At the post-fight press conference, Fury also said he has no interest in returning unless it is against Joshua.
This fight has been talked about for years without getting signed, and Joshua is treating it that way. If he steps into the ring, he’s giving them a big promo moment for nothing. If the fight falls through again, he’s the one who looks bad. By staying out, he’s making it clear it only moves forward when there’s a deal in place. If Joshua gets into the ring, he’s following Fury’s lead. By staying out, he shuts that down, even if Fury then used it to question him after the fight.
Hearn pointed to that history as the reason for Joshua’s stance and made clear he still expects the fight to happen, but only once terms are agreed.
“He’s not into it if the fight’s not done,” Hearn said, Pro Boxing Fans. “How many times have we been here before? Years and years, and it’s never happened. Until I see you across the ring, it’s all hype. He always has done, and that’s why the fight never happened. AJ’s just saying, ‘Look, you need me. You’re calling me, and you’ll get me.’ Very confident the fight will happen. But at the moment, nothing signed.”
He also rejected Fury’s claim that Joshua is “terrified,” while backing him to win if the fight is finalized.
“Terrified of what? That tonight? Even Fury fans, not the same energy. They know. I don’t see anything but an AJ victory.”
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