Anthony Joshua could be headed toward a long-discussed showdown with Tyson Fury, but promoter Eddie Hearn says Deontay Wilder is not part of the current roadmap as a stopgap fight before any all-British blockbuster.
A potential Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury showdown is again gaining momentum, with Eddie Hearn saying the current plan is for Joshua to return this summer and, if all goes smoothly, face Fury in the fall. Speaking about the developing schedule, Hearn made clear that Deontay Wilder is not currently included as an interim opponent in that package.
That matters because Wilder has long been viewed by American fans as the most explosive risk-reward fight available to Joshua outside of Fury. Even now, the former WBC heavyweight champion remains one of boxing’s biggest punchers, which would make him a dangerous “tune-up” and a commercially attractive one. But from a business and matchmaking standpoint, inserting Wilder into the sequence would also put a lucrative Fury event in danger.
Hearn said Joshua is willing to take on both men in succession and has no issue with the challenge. According to the Matchroom boss, Joshua is prepared to fight Wilder and Fury back-to-back if the opportunities align, but that willingness does not mean Wilder will be part of the final agreement.
For the heavyweight division, the implications are obvious. If Joshua reaches Fury without detouring through Wilder, boxing gets one of its biggest possible events with less volatility attached. If that fight happens and Joshua wins, he immediately reasserts himself at the very top of the division. If Fury wins, the conversation shifts toward whether Joshua missed his most meaningful chance to clear one of the last major names from his era in Wilder.
There is also a broader American media angle here: plenty of U.S. observers have long believed Joshua-Wilder is the fight that got away, a matchup that once felt inevitable and now hangs over this generation as unfinished business. Hearn’s comments suggest that nostalgia may have to wait again.
For now, the focus is simple: get Joshua back in the ring this summer, keep the Fury talks alive, and see whether boxing finally delivers the heavyweight event fans have chased for years.
