Eddie Hearn teases four-man fight tournament after Anthony Joshua's bout against Jermaine Franklin | The Sun

EDDIE HEARN has proposed three mouthwatering fights to crown an undisputed heavyweight champion should Tyson Fury versus Oleksandr Usyk fail to happen.

A proposed unification bout between the Gypsy King and the Ukrainian fell through this week with the two parties unable to agree terms.


Usyk was even prepared to agree a 70-30 purse split in Fury's favour to make the fight happen.

But according to Usyk’s agent Egis Klimas Fury kept making more demands which made reaching a compromise impossible – including a no rematch clause.

Since then, former WBC heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder, who was dethroned by Fury, has offered to step in and fight Usyk.

And Joshua, who has suffered back-to-back defeats to Usyk, is preparing for his return to the ring when he faces American Jermaine Franklin at the O2 on Saturday 1 April.

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Now his Matchroom Promoter Hearn has suggested a four-man tournament consisting of three mega fights to crown an undisputed king of the heavyweights should AJ win next week.

He tweeted: “If Fury vs Usyk doesn’t get made…and AJ gets past Franklin…Fury vs AJ, Wilder vs Usyk – winner vs winner for undisputed.”

Meanwhile, AJ is glad boxing fans can finally see all the ‘crazy s***’ that comes with negotiating with Fury.

Joshua, 33, and Fury were days away from securing the biggest fight in British boxing history in late Spring of 2021 – perhaps even a two-fight undisputed spectacular – that was scuppered when Deontay Wilder won his legal claim for a third Fury fight.

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And last December – after Fury had finished off Wilder and beaten up Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora – he offered AJ a short-notice showdown, after he had lost his second bout and three belts to Usyk.

Joshua hopes fans finally are understanding what a nightmare it is to deal with his nemesis, saying: “I will be real, as much as I like to entertain that gossip and Fury situation, I have been there twice and people don’t remember that.

“I was supposed to fight him before I fought Usyk, the first time, and he pulled out due to his legal case, the arbitration, with Wilder. That was all up in the air and done online.

“Look at all the s*** they are going through now with this Usyk stuff. It’s just crazy.

“I don’t publicise things so it’s actually good that people are starting to see what goes on in negotiations.

“It’s good that people can actually see the s*** that people have got to put up with to make a fight.

“Me and Usyk got two successful fights done. It’s just crazy.”



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