Anthony Joshua desires Tyson Fury struggle ‘greater than something’ – promoter Eddie Hearn explains the plan that will result in it

Plans are being set in place that might lead Anthony Joshua to “the biggest fight in the sport” with Tyson Fury.

Fury, who has sat out the whole lot of 2025, has indicated that he does need to field once more subsequent 12 months.

Anthony Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has welcomed Fury’s anticipated return.

“It’s exactly what everybody wanted to hear,” Hearn informed Sky Sports activities. “The thing that AJ wants more than anything, is to fight Tyson Fury.

“That’s the greatest struggle within the sport… I am hopeful.

“The only thing that is close to that level [for Joshua] is to win the world heavyweight championship again, which is a big motivation for him.”

The showdown with Fury can be subsequent summer season, with Joshua boxing not less than as soon as, however probably twice, earlier than then.

There is a “small chance” Joshua may field earlier than the top of this 12 months and he’ll struggle early in 2026, doubtlessly in February.

“The plan’s very important,” Hearn mentioned. “The most important thing is making sure he’s 110 per cent confident and ready to beat Tyson Fury. We need to be able to plan that for AJ to make sure that he’s in the best place possible for what will be the biggest moment of his career, I believe.

“If he fights this 12 months, that can be a pure run out. It will not be a high 15 man,” the promoter continued. “He is both going to have these two fights earlier than Tyson Fury, if that may get made, or he’ll have the one struggle in February.

“We haven’t really decided yet but he’s keen to get active.”

Fury would, in all probability, have a tune-up bout himself too. That could possibly be a danger. Earlier contests with Otto Wallin, for example, and Francis Ngannou have been warm-ups for larger fights that turned out to be trickier than anticipated.

However Hearn mirrored: “If he can’t win the tune-up, then he shouldn’t be getting in the ring [with AJ].

“We wish each guys firing on all cylinders to offer the general public the perfect model of them and if we won’t get the perfect model of them, then perhaps we do not do the struggle.

“What we don’t want is two guys who have been out for a year and a half, getting in there and they’re both a little bit rusty.

“We have to permit these guys, who’ve been out of the ring for a very long time, to be at their absolute pomp after they meet one another.”

Allen the check Itauma wants

Dave Allen may put himself into consideration as a possible opponent for Joshua forward of the Fury struggle, if the Doncaster man can beat Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday.

“All I’m saying is a victory would probably put him in that top 20, top 15 in the world, which he already is with the WBA and we’re going to be picking from a list like that. And he’s British. And he’s very popular. I don’t know who it would be [for the AJ warm-up],” Hearn mentioned.

“I don’t think there’s one heavyweight in the world, outside of Oleksandr Usyk, that you couldn’t match Dave Allen with if he wins on Saturday.

“I even put Anthony Joshua into that blend, I put Tyson Fury into that blend as a result of they’re two guys which are going to be having a ‘comeback’ struggle. [Moses] Itauma, Derek Chisora, Andy Ruiz, Deontay Wilder, Agit Kabayel, Zhilei Zhang.”

Allen may make sense for rising star Moses Itauma.

“I don’t think there’s a fight Dave wouldn’t take. It is about the money at this stage,” Hearn defined. “Itauma’s a very tough fight, but Dave’s got a good style to test the things we don’t know about Moses. Which is chin, engine and how tough he is, basically.

“Dave’s the man that may climate the storm to take you into these rounds to search out out. He is in fact an underdog in opposition to Moses, lots of people are.

“But again one step at a time, Saturday night and then the world is his oyster as they say.”