By Gabriel Princewill-
Indecisive Tyson Fury(pictured) is back in talks with Anthony Joshua for a September bout at Wembley after claiming to have sent AJ a ‘draft contract’ earlier in the week.
Fury, who let boxing fans down following the falling apart of the heavyweight unification fight with undisputed fight with talented Olegsander Usyk, has faced criticism for allegedly ducking the unbeaten Ukranian.
The towering 6ft 9 inches unbeaten world champion only this week revealed that Demsey McKean is a ‘frontrunner’ to face him next, but within 24 hours appears to have turned his sights to Joshua, who is just coming off an uninspiring victory over Jermaine Franklin.
Fury and Joshua have twice been in talks over a Battle of Britain bout last year, but the plans for an epic bout were first aborted after Deontey Wilder scuppered the arrangements by successfully compelling Fury to engage in a rematch with the Alabama puncher in 2021.
Fury eventually stopped Wilder in 11 scintillating rounds, after Joshua lost a rematch to Olegsander Usyk in September of that year.
However, his failure to make a fight happen with Usyk has left a bitter taste in the mouth of fight fans, many of whom feel he is privately avoiding the risk of defeat in the hands of the former cruiser weight world champion, who defied all odds to become heavyweight champion of the world.
The fight fell apart after Fury imposed a 70-30 share for the fight and refused to agree to a rematch clause in which Usyk would get the larger share in the event of winning the first fight. His refusal sparked rumours Fury was running scared.
The Gypsy King took to Instagram to share a picture of himself and AJ with the following caption: “This time I’m not gonna make a million vids and keep putting pressure on. Come on AJ, let’s give the world what they want to see.”
What the world really wants to see is Fury prove he is the best heavyweight in the world by facing Usyk, but critics believe the gargantuan heavyweight, perceived to be the world’s leading fighter in the sport’s premiere division is only going for fights he is convinced he will win.
Fury has always claimed to be the greatest heavyweight of all times, but is yet to conclusively prove to be the best of his time, a position that up until his flopped arrangement with Usyk was the general consensus with boxing fans.
Opinions have since been shifting in boxing circles, with a growing number of people now believing Usyk may just have enough to beat him on points.
A fight with Joshua will nevertheless attract some interest, but very few will give Joshua a chance against Fury should a showdown between the pair materialise.