The breakdown of an all-British heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury is down to the former’s promoter Eddie Hearn, claims Bob Arum.
A bout between the two – both world champions at varying points in their career – looked to be on the rocks last week after Fury repeatedly issued deadlines to sign a contract for a December 3 date.
Earlier this week, Matchroom Boxing chairman Eddie Hearn admitted the fight looked dead in the water for now after negotiations collapsed.
And Fury’s promoter Arum claims it was his opposite number who is to blame for the turn of events, claiming he “sabotaged” any potential deal.
“He wanted to kill it because even as late as [Monday], if he’d have said let’s all get together and sit in a room and get everything finalised, it could have been done in a couple of hours,” Arum told Sky Sports.
“He didn’t want the fight to happen from the get-go, so he slow-played it.
“I’ve been in this business almost 60 years, so I can tell when somebody doesn’t want something to happen and then slow-plays a negotiation.
“I knew that Eddie would find a way to sabotage the fight. He has nothing left really in his stable and he is clinging to AJ as his only potential attraction.”
Someone sent me a video of your man Eddie, talking about the Wilder fight with you a while back and he says in there if you want a fight made, you, your team and your lawyers move quickly to make it happen.
— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) September 29, 2022
Fury’s consistent public demands for an agreement have seen him criticised for apparently attempting to backtrack out of any fight, but Arum refutes any suggestion he is to blame.
“Tyson Fury is Tyson Fury,” Arum added.
“He hasn’t been trained in law school so he wants a fight, if he’s imposing deadlines which aren’t really deadlines because he’s sending a message, get off your asses and get this thing done.
“It was clear that was the case. So, nobody should be blamed for this fight not happening, not Tyson, not AJ, not anybody else other than Eddie Hearn.”
Source: Livescore