ANTHONY JOSHUA and Tyson Fury’s super-fight negotiations have got off to a flying start.
As soon as the WBA, IBF and WBO champ battered brave Kubrat Pulev on Saturday night, he stated again that Fury’s WBC crown was his only focus.
The Gypsy King, 32, who yesterday posed in a shirt mocking ‘Dossers’ Joshua and Eddie Hearn, told his rival to “grow a pair and sign the contract”.
Deontay Wilder’s case for a third Fury clash is a hitch but Oleksandr Usyk’s genuine claim for an overdue WBO mandatory shot at AJ is a bigger problem.
But Hearn has spoken to Fury’s US promoter, Bob Arum, and got the ball rolling on what could potentially be a £500million two-fight rivalry for the ages.
After a Monday night chat with the former lawyer, Hearn said: “Here, on both sides, every member of each team wants to do this fight.
“We all acknowledge this is the biggest fight in boxing, this is the best fight for both guys.
“This is for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.
“Why are you in the sport, if you don’t want this fight?
“Just trying to solve any remaining issues of the fight, of which there aren’t many, to be honest with you.
“We’re trying to move forward collectively to let the governing bodies know we plan to stage this fight probably in May and would like this to be for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.
“There’s a few small issues to iron out but I think we can start looking at drawing up contracts and try to get this moving.”
Usyk’s case for a crack at Joshua’s three belts is watertight, so it will take a handsome step-aside fee or a future-fight promise to keep the undisputed cruiserweight king at bay.
Luckily, Hearn and his Matchroom team also help make the Ukrainian’s mega-money bouts, so all parties should get paid and be kept happy in house.
Usyk and the WBO allowed AJ, 31, his rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr 12 months ago and the Pulev clash to go ahead without any complaints.
But now the 33-year-old southpaw has had two wins at his new weight, he is not feeling so generous with his time or money.
Hearn added: “Ultimately, the big issue for Anthony Joshua is he has a WBO mandatory now.
“We will be writing to the WBO to say ‘You have an opportunity to be part of the biggest fight in boxing. One of the biggest fights in boxing history’.
“Oleksandr Usyk is the WBO mandatory, we have to respect that and the rules.
“We’ll be speaking to him to make sure he’s happy with a potential resolution.
“But, if for any reason Tyson Fury can’t contractually fight Anthony Joshua next, AJ will fight Oleksandr Usyk next.”
