Anthony Joshua has reached an financial agreement with Tyson Fury on a two-fight deal, says promoter Eddie Hearn.
Since early May, Britain’s rival champions have been holding talks over an undisputed world heavyweight title fight and it has now been announced that initial terms have been agreed.
Joshua won back his WBA, IBF and WBO titles when he overcame Andy Ruiz Jr. last December, while Fury beat Deontay Wilder for the WBC Championship in February.
The highly-anticipated heavyweight meeting, which would unify the division, is unlikely to take place until next year as Fury is contracted to a re-match with Wilder, while Joshua has to face his mandatory challenger – Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev – when the sport fully resumes after the coronavirus shutdown.
Fury will also have to fight his mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte in early 2021 before facing Fury.
Should the fight take place, their first meeting is expected to be in Saudi Arabia before a potential rematch in Britain.
AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports: “We’re making great progress. There is still a lot to overcome. We are looking at venues and dates.”
“It’s fair to say they are in agreement regarding the financial terms of the fight. We’ve been talking to MTK (Fury’s promoters), giving them the assurances from Joshua’s side that all the details on the structure of the deal is approved from our side. And it is from Fury’s side, as well.”
“We’re in a good place. It’s fair to say that, in principle, both guys have agreed to that fight. Two fights.”
“[There’s] a lot to overcome in the meantime. We’re moving in the right direction. I’m confident that both guys have given their blessing for the fight to go ahead.”
He added that the first bout would be “the biggest fight ever in British boxing”, and continued: “It doesn’t get bigger, and there will never be a bigger fight in our generation.”
If the fight comes to fruition, it would be the first time in the four-belt era that all of the belts would be at stake at the same time.
Fury confirmed the news and expressed his delight about the undisputed bout on his Instagram page, saying he would first overcome Wilder before fighting Joshua in 2021 in the “biggest fight in boxing history”.
However in a statement, Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, revealed that “no contracts have been signed”.
“Obviously, we are keen to make the fight that British fans demand and will continue negotiations in order to deliver Tyson his shot at becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world,” he added.
“Things are going in the right direction and we couldn’t be more happy that a potential mega fight is in reach.”
Top Rank President Todd duBoef, whose company co-promotes fury with Frank Warren, has said they are aiming for the Wilder fight to happen in November or December and only then will Fury turn his attention to Joshua.
Both camps are keen to hold the fights in packed venues, though this will not be viable until coronavirus restrictions are lifted.
