Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder will ‘have to’ fight Anthony Joshua after Las Vegas rematch, says Eddie Hearn – The Sun

PROMOTER Eddie Hearn believes the winner between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder’s rematch will face public pressure to fight Anthony Joshua after.

Unified champion AJ, 30, missed out on mega-money showdowns with Wilder and Fury as the heavyweight pair decided to fight themselves, drawing in December 2018.

But they rematch on February 22 for the WBC title, while Joshua looks set to defend his WBA, IBF and WBO crowns against mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev in the summer.

Matchroom Boxing boss Hearn believes the winner of the Las Vegas rematch next month will then face a public demand by fans to unify the titles against AJ.

Hearn told Sky Sports: “I just think that whoever wins and if AJ beats Pulev, which we hope he does, basically the whole world is going to say 'we have to see that fight.

"I think there will be so much pressure on both guys to make that fight.

"Unless Wilder-Fury 2 is a brilliant fight, no one is going to want to see the [third fight]. Everyone is going to want to see the undisputed fight, the winner against AJ.

"I'm hoping that we can manoeuvre something there. If not, we fight Oleksandr Usyk, if he beats Derek Chisora, and if Joshua beats Pulev."

Wilder, 34, and Fury, 31, are already signed to a trilogy bout, with the winner of the rematch receiving a higher 60 per cent purse.

But should the loser decide against a third bout, the WBC champion is free to set his sights on Joshua.

Watford’s AJ already hinted last month that he will offer the winner of the Sin City rerun a “curveball” offer to swerve a trilogy clash and instead face him.

Joshua said : "We had a meeting about that. It has great potential.

“I heard [Wilder and Fury] have a third fight lined up towards the end of the year but we have to throw a curveball in there.

"Something that gets Wilder's attention providing he wins so that he thinks to himself: 'Even though I have a rematch clause, I'll see how I can manipulate my contract, get out of it, and fight for the undisputed championship'."

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