Tyson Fury is trying to come to terms with his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia (Image: Getty)
Tyson Fury has been urged now is the right time to arrange a British showdown with Anthony Joshua.
The Gypsy King returned to the UK last night after suffering his second career defeat at the hands of heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in Riyadh.
After his heartbreaking defeat, Fury, 36, insisted he will take some time off over Christmas to relax before considering his next move as he refused to commit to more fights.
However, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn is ready to initiate discussions with Fury’s entourage once the two-time world champion recovers from his loss.
Hearn stated: “Obviously Fury is going to need time to reflect on and get over the disappointment of defeat. The fact is I felt like it was a great performance and he’s still at the peak of his powers. The time is now to make Joshua against Fury.”
Both Fury and Joshua missed the opportunity to fight for the undisputed heavyweight crown when they held all four belts in 2020 and 2021. Nevertheless, Hearn remains optimistic that it would be a monumental fight if they can make it happen.
He added: “It’s not just the biggest fight in British boxing but the biggest fight in the sport. I believe we can make two fights in 2025. And when the time is right we will be having relevant discussions to see if it can get made.”
After his second loss in 37 fights, Fury was questioned about his future plans following the Saudi showdown, which all three judges scored 116-112 in favour of Usyk.
He said: “Go home and have a good Christmas. I’ve been away for 12 weeks working for this fight. I’m gonna go home now and enjoy it.
“We go home now to a new year, let’s see what it brings. Will you see me fight next year? You might do. You might not do. We’ll talk about that next year.”