There is no contract, no place and no agreement in place. Hearn made it clear that the situation was overstated, explaining that only early discussions had taken place and nothing had moved beyond that stage.
The promoter pointed to recent claims about locations and timelines as premature and said the process had not yet reached the point where a date or site could even be seriously discussed.
Part of Hearn’s frustration is likely directed at the reports from Gareth A. Davies, who claimed that the Fury-AJ fight was “scripted” for Netflix. Hearn had to go on a media tour just to deny it, which explains why he’s taking things “back to basics.”
“Gareth Davies was a big jump of the gun. Kalle (Sauerland) also had a big jump of the gun,” Hearn told the media.
It feels like Hearn is trying to manage expectations in a year where his biggest star (Joshua) is dealing with personal tragedy and his biggest potential payday (Fury) is one shot away from being irrelevant if Makhmudov pulls off the upset.
“There is absolutely no agreement between AJ and Fury. There is no contract signed. There is no venue agreed upon. There is absolutely nothing,” Hearn said.
“We don’t even have a proposed contract for a date, a location, nothing. Just conversations about how we get to that fight.”
Venues such as Wembley, Croke Park and Riyadh have been mentioned, but these are options rather than decisions, with no formal structure behind them at this stage.
Hearn also indicated that Joshua’s next move is likely to come before any Fury fight is finalized. A return in July remains the working plan, with Joshua expected to take on a fight first before revisiting the Fury negotiations. No opponent has been identified, and publicly circulating names have not been part of internal discussions.
It makes sense why Hearn’s energy felt a little flat. There’s a lot of “wait and see” going on right now, and he’s clearly tired of answering for rumors that aren’t grounded in reality.
Tyson Fury will face Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. This is Fury’s first fight in 16 months since his “retirement” following the Usyk losses.
Hearn’s lack of enthusiasm probably stems from the fact that Makhmudov is a massive, dangerous puncher. If Fury loses or looks terrible, the “mega-fight” value for a Joshua showdown drops significantly. Until that April 11 result is in, Hearn can’t plan anything with certainty.
Joshua’s situation is complicated by more than just boxing. He returns after a tragic car accident in Nigeria earlier this year that claimed the lives of two close friends.
Hearn is aiming for a return in July, but he’s being protective. He won’t commit to a name until AJ is fully back in camp and shows he’s mentally and physically ready.
Names like Moses Itauma (who just destroyed Jermaine Franklin) are being called out, but this is a big risk for a comeback fight. Hearn is probably looking for a reliable win to get the engine going again.
