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Sport

03rd Aug 2018

Eddie Hearn has a theory about why Tyson Fury claims he’s fighting Deontay Wilder

The Matchroom boss isn't buying it

Darragh Murphy

Eddie Hearn is calling bullshit on Tyson Fury’s claim that he’s set to fight Deontay Wilder this year.

Earlier this week, Frank Warren announced that talks were underway for Fury to fight for Wilder’s WBC heavyweight title before 2018 was out and Fury has since confirmed those negotiations.

Fury is currently preparing for his second fight back since his three years away from the ring and upcoming opponent Francesco Pianeta should pose more of a threat than Sefer Seferi, the Albanian heavyweight who quit on his stool when he welcomed Fury back to the sport last month.

The undefeated heavyweight will then hope to turn his gaze towards world titles and he’s revealed that he will get his hands on Wilder before Anthony Joshua.

But Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, is simply not having it.

Hearn has since reduced Fury’s claim to an attempt to boost the viewing figures for Fury’s next bout.

“No,” Hearn told IFL TV when asked he believes Fury vs. Wilder will happen this year.

“What? When he’s just fought Sefer Seferi? And now he’s fighting ‘Andrea Pizza-netta’ [referring to Pianeta].

“Don’t be ridiculous. Listen you can be bluffed out by what you want: ‘Oh wow, yeah, let’s tune in to Fury’s next fight because if he wins this he’s gonna fight Wilder.’”

Hearn, who has been locked in a negotiating battle with Wilder’s camp for several months regarding a mammoth unification clash with Anthony Joshua, insists that Fury is rejecting Matchroom’s stable of heavyweights, which leads him to doubt the legitimacy of the Wilder rumours.

“He won’t fight [Tony] Bellew, he won’t fight Dillian Whyte. He ain’t gonna fight Deontay Wilder,” Hearn added.

“I’m sure he will next year, he’ll fight everybody. But he’s got no confidence at the moment; he’s just been out of the ring for two years.

“But it’s a great story to be fair. It’s good for the hype.”