Anthony Joshua believes a bout with Tyson Fury in December is his "only chance" to face off against the Gypsy King, promoter Eddie Hearn has said.
Fury has offered terms to his compatriot for a bout in December, with the WBC belt on the line, for a fight long hailed as the 'Battle of Britain'.
A bout has been a long time coming, with an agreement in place for the pair to fight in Saudi Arabia last year before a court ordered Fury to honour his rematch with Deontay Wilder, who he subsequently beat in Las Vegas.
However, hopes of a unified clash with Joshua were ended by AJ's defeat to Oleksandr Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, who then won the rematch with his fellow 2012 Olympic gold medallist last month.
That appeared to spell an end for Joshua at the summit of the heavyweight game, at least temporarily, but Fury has moved swiftly to offer an opportunity to his rival – with Hearn explaining Joshua's thinking is that this is his only shot.
"He thinks: this is my only chance, because if he fights Usyk, win or lose I think he'll retire or you never know with Fury, he could just never fight again," he told Sky Sports.
"The reason he accepts these terms is he feels this is the only chance he'll get to fight Tyson Fury. So, therefore, okay, it would have been better to come off a victory but we're here and [Joshua thinks] I can beat him and I feel good.
"When he drew to [Deontay] Wilder, we offered Fury the fight against AJ and we offered him 60-40 and he said no and he said I'll only take 50-50.
"That's one of the reasons I wanted to push back on some of the terms. But in the end it was AJ who overruled and said no just accept it. He's always believed he can beat him."
The next step to scheduling the fight is the signing of the contracts and, while Hearn perceives no issues with that, he is still wary as to whether Fury is genuine.
"Broadcasters need to have their discussions. Which I don't think will be a problem. It's actually not that complicated," he added.
"If they're genuine and George [Warren] tells me they are, then I think the fight will get made. I think George feels his instructions are to make the fight. But you just never know with Tyson Fury. Is this a ploy to speed up the Usyk fight, get more money from a site?
"It might have been a bluff, or a bit of publicity that actually turns into it happening. Or maybe it was genuine from the start. It could be anything. That's a sceptical view but right now I'm going along the lines of I believe him because I want to be positive and work together to make it happen."
Whether or not it is Fury that Joshua faces off against, Hearn has made it clear AJ will return to the ring before the end of the year.
"We've been looking at opponents for AJ for December and his list is very different to my list. So I don't think he's interested in opponents that he's just going to get no credit or respect for. Straight away when I asked him about this fight, he went, 'Let's do it'," he explained.
"He hasn't got any major injuries or anything like that. They want to do it. I think he's coming off a decent performance," the promoter added. "He just fancies the fight and fancies his chances. He's willing to roll the dice."
Jerone Ennis impresses in professional debut with first-round knockout
Jamaican boxer Jerone "Beast" Ennis made a memorable transition from amateur standout to professional prospect with a commanding victory in his debut fight on Saturday night at the Pickering Casino Resort. Ennis, a two-time Caribbean Amateur Champion, showcased his skills and promise by knocking out his Argentinian opponent Marcelo Adrian Fernandez (4-3-1) at 1:51 into the first round of their scheduled four-round contest in the light-heavyweight division.
Ennis wasted no time in displaying his pedigree, exhibiting poise, ring intelligence, and superior technique early in the fight. His chief-cornerman, Ryan "RG" Grant, commended Ennis's performance, stating, "He performed real well, he is a real promising talent coming out of Jamaica. I like that he's a thinker in there and he's got good eyes, looking and seeing his spots to land and to move on defense."
The turning point came when Ennis unleashed a powerful overhand right that sent Fernandez crashing to the canvas, beating the referee's 10-count only to face a relentless barrage of punches from Ennis. The onslaught forced the referee to intervene, awarding Ennis a TKO victory at 1:51 of the first round.
Ennis's victory was significant, as he became the first boxer to stop Marcelo Adrian Fernandez in the opening round of any fight. President of United Boxing Promotions, Tyler Buxton, expressed his satisfaction with Ennis's debut performance, highlighting the promising future ahead for the young Jamaican prospect.
Fellow countryman and stablemate Kemahl "Hitman" Russell praised Ennis's debut, stating, "He did what he was expected to do, the formula worked - training in Jamaica and showing up and proving on the big stage. He has a bright future."
Looking ahead, Ryan Grant emphasized the importance of keeping Ennis active in the ring without any setbacks, indicating high expectations for the rising star.
Born on February 4, 2000, in Denham Town, Kingston, Jamaica, Jerone Ennis represented Jamaica at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, U.K., reaching the quarter-final stage before making his professional debut. Ennis joins an esteemed roster of Jamaican fighters under United Boxing Promotions, including heavyweight Ricardo "Big 12" Brown, middleweight Kemahl "The Hitman" Russell, super welterweight Joshua "HellRazor" Frazer, and super middleweight Shakeel "The Jamaican Juggernaut" Phinn.
Jerone Ennis's successful professional debut marks the beginning of an exciting chapter in his boxing career, with aspirations of achieving further milestones and making a significant impact on the international stage.
This is my time, my destiny, my era and my generation – Fury on Usyk showdown
Tyson Fury has declared it is “my time, my destiny, my era and my generation” ahead of his blockbuster showdown with Oleksandr Usyk.
WBC champion Fury is set to fight Ukraine’s WBA, IBF and WBO title-holder Usyk on May 18 in Saudi Arabia in the first undisputed world heavyweight bout of the century.
Regarding his opponent, the former unified cruiserweight champion who made his heavyweight debut in 2020, Fury told a press conference on Wednesday: “It’s not personal, it’s strictly business for both fighters. There’s a lot of stuff on the line, but I don’t hate him, he don’t hate me.
“I respect him, as a man, as a fighter. Everyone has to respect the man’s achievements. Good fighter – I have a tough challenge in front of me. But I’m very confident in my ability and I’m very confident I’ll beat the guy.
“When the cruiserweights step up to the big boys, usually they get found wanting. You can beat the average big ones but you can’t beat the elite big ones, because size really matters. We have weight divisions for a reason and he’s going to be found wanting when he fights me on May 18.
“This is my time, my destiny, my era and my generation. Fact.”
Jerone Ennis completes training camp ahead of professional debut in Toronto this weekend
Jerone Ennis, the two-time Caribbean Amateur Champion, has wrapped up his training camp in Jamaica and is now set for his professional debut in Toronto, Canada this Saturday, April 13, 2024. Ennis will face off against Marcelo Adrian Fernandez, an experienced Argentine fighter, in a four-round light heavyweight bout at the Pickering Casino Resort.
Ennis, born on February 4, 2000, hails from Denham Town, Kingston, Jamaica, and represented his country at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, U.K., reaching the quarter-final stage. He recently joined a elite roster of Jamaican talent under United Boxing Promotions, including undefeated heavyweight Ricardo 'Big 12' Brown, middleweight Kemahl 'The Hitman' Russell, super welterweight Joshua 'HellRazor' Frazer, and super middleweight Shakeel 'The Jamaican Juggernaut' Phinn.
Marcelo Adrian Fernandez brings a record of four wins (two by knockout), three losses and a draw, promising a challenging matchup for Ennis's debut. However, United Boxing Promotions President Tyler Buxton expressed confidence in Ennis's abilities, emphasizing his potential to shine in the professional ranks.
"Jerone is an elite boxer, and joins a stable full of the best talent that Jamaica has to offer. We are confident that his skills and determination will shine through in his debut fight against Fernandez," Buxton expressed.
Ennis's training camp in Jamaica was marked by intense preparation, including rigorous fitness regimens and sparring sessions to sharpen his skills. Now in Toronto, Ennis is focused and ready to make an impact in the light heavyweight division.
The stage is set for an exciting showdown as Jerone Ennis steps into the professional boxing arena for the first time, aiming to leave his mark and kick-start his career with a victory over Marcelo Adrian Fernandez. Boxing enthusiasts await eagerly to witness the debut of this promising Jamaican talent on Saturday night.
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