Tyson Fury recently prompted a lot of concern in the boxing community by claiming in an interview that talks for a world heavyweight unification fight against Anthony Joshua were not making any progress, and that he would fight twice in 2021 even if they weren't fights against AJ.
However, Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn has allayed fears that the fight may fall through and assures us that big news is very close.
Fury and Joshua agreed almost a year ago to the basic financial terms of a bout against one another. Since then, they have overcome obstacles such as Joshua's mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev, the legal disputes of Deontay Wilder regarding a rematch for Fury's WBC belt, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The final details on the contract remain outstanding, judging by the regular updates from Hearn and others in recent weeks, but that could be about to change.
"We’re pretty much on the verge now of giving you something to get very excited about," Hearn said on the Ak and Barak Show (on DAZN and Sirius XM Fight Nation).
"I’m not gonna say anything else. I’ll let Tyson Fury (say whatever he wants). All you need to know is that when you hear from ‘the main man’ — that being Anthony Joshua — and his management team start making noise like they have on social media, you know things are happening.
"I know I talk a lot, that’s because people ask me a lot of questions. I talk on AJ’s behalf, but I don’t talk for him."
On the reason for Fury's recent claims, Hearn responded: "Tyson’s probably getting a bit frustrated. He’s probably thinking ‘hurry up, hurry up’, and he’s probably wondering what’s the hold-up. The hold-up is that this is the biggest fight in boxing.
"But I spoke to Mr. Arum last night, and I’m trying so hard not to say anything, but stand by guys, stand by!”
You can watch the entire episode of Ak & Barak, featuring the duo and Hearn discussing Canelo Alvarez vs. Avni Yildirim and more, on DAZN now.