Despite Anthony Joshua’s recent defeat to Daniel Dubois, Matchroom Boxing director Frank Smith has insisted that a long-awaited showdown between Joshua and Tyson Fury still needs to happen, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
British boxing fans have long anticipated a heavyweight clash between Joshua and Fury, but despite years of speculation, the two have never shared the ring.
Hopes for the bout appeared dimmer following Joshua’s brutal loss to Dubois last month, a result that seemed to dash any potential plans for a fight with Fury after the Gypsy King’s expected rematch with Oleksandr Usyk later this year.
However, speaking to SportsBoom, Smith maintained that public demand for the all-British bout remains strong saying, “Win, lose, or draw, everyone wants to see AJ versus Fury.
“That’s regardless of previous results involving either of them. It needs to happen. People want to see it happen, and I’m sure it will. It’s too big not to happen.”
Smith further emphasised that Joshua, who has rebuilt himself after past defeats, still has the hunger for the sport’s biggest challenges. “Does AJ want to win money or win the titles back? What’s his best route through?” Smith questioned.
“He’s rebuilt himself before after losses. He went straight into a rematch with Andy Ruiz, which was a risk, and put in a much-improved performance to win. He knew he could improve on the first performance. He did the same with Usyk, and even though he lost again, it was a much closer fight the second time around.”
With Fury’s heavyweight dominance and Joshua’s continued pursuit of titles, the stage could still be set for what would undoubtedly be one of the biggest fights in British boxing history.