Does Tyson Fury await Anthony Joshua after Kubrat Pulev bout?

Without a doubt it has been an unprecedented year, and for Anthony Joshua the last 12 months must have been very frustrating. AJ has not entered the ring since he defeated Andy Ruiz Jr. in Saudi Arabia last December to regain his WBA (super), IBF, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles.

A scheduled bout with Mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev was supposed to take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 20^th. However, the coronavirus pandemic put paid to the original plans, and Joshua will now face the Bulgarian at London’s SSE Arena on December 12^th – almost six months since the first date and over one year since his last fight.

It’ll come as no surprise that AJ is the heavy favourite in the Joshua vs Pulev odds, and in typical fashion talk has already started on who the Watford-native is going to take on next, should he dispatch of the 39-year-old as expected.

The name on everybody’s lips is of course two-time heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. The all-British unification bout is the one that all boxing fans want to see made happen, and both camps have made it clear that they are willing to open negotiations for the bout to take place in 2021, with Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn claiming they ‘have the dynamics of the deal in place’.

However, there are several things that need to be ironed out both inside and outside of the ring beforehand. Of course, AJ will need to overcome the challenge of Pulev, whilst Fury will need to settle things outside of the ring with Deontay Wilder, who is keen for a third fight – that’s currently in a mediation process.

For Joshua, it would also mean vacating his WBO belt, as he would need to take on mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk before he could go toe-to-toe with Fury. Giving up his title could blow the door open for a title fight between Usykand Joe Joyce, who recently upset the odds by beating promising heavyweight Daniel Dubois.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has given a bout between AJ and the Gypsy King his full backing, telling Sky Sports News.

“There’s absolutely great hope from the world to see that undisputed fight.

“Tyson Fury is our champion, our pride. Anthony Joshua holds the other belts and he has been a tremendous asset to the sport. A gentleman, a great career.

“To see this showdown, Fury-Joshua, would be tremendous for everyone in the sport of boxing. We will absolutely support it.

“The WBC has no blocks right now. There is no mandatory contender. There is an issue that we are aware that Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder have some sort of mediation process going on and that’s the only thing, but we don’t have any details.

“We’re just hoping that everything gets resolved and everybody is happy, and we see great fights inside the ring.”

We would all love to see two of Britain’s greatest ever boxers touch gloves in an epic showdown, so let’s keep our fingers crossed that it all goes to plan and we get to see it at some point next year!