Joshua v Fury must happen by end of 2025 - Hearn

The long-awaited heavyweight bout betwixt Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury must "definitely" return spot by nan extremity of 2025 aliases it will ne'er happen, says promoter Eddie Hearn.

A super-fight betwixt 2 generational stars of British boxing has been mooted for respective years but ever stalled during negotiations.

Joshua, 34, challenges Daniel Dubois for nan IBF loop astatine Wembley Stadium connected Saturday and Fury, 36, takes connected Oleksandr Usyk - who holds nan 3 different recognised world titles - successful December's rematch.

"I do deliberation AJ-Fury will hap sloppy of whether Fury wins aliases not, but nan size of nan conflict depends connected their adjacent 2 results," Hearn told BBC Sport.

In June, Joshua urged Fury to conflict him while some boxers are still "fresh" but said he will not "sit astir and wait" for his chap British heavyweight.

Asked whether location is simply a deadline of adjacent year, Matchroom's Hearn replied: "Yes, definitely."

With important finance into boxing from Saudi Arabia, location is caller dream nan bout will yet materialise.

"If AJ thumps Dubois and Fury thumps Usyk, you've sewage nan biggest conflict successful nan history of nan athletics ever. If 1 loses and nan different wins, it's still a monster fight," Hearn added.

Joshua broke down successful tears aft a 2nd consecutive conclusion by Usyk successful 2022, but worked himself backmost into a world-title mandatory challenger position pinch a four-fight winning streak.

If he thumps Dubois he will emulate greats Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis, Vitali Klitschko and Evander Holyfield by becoming a three-time heavyweight world champion.

"The magnitude of nan accomplishment will beryllium thing unthinkable if he tin propulsion it off," Hearn said.

"We're 2 wins distant from undisputed and 1 triumph distant from getting a conflict to beryllium undisputed. I genuinely judge he will still do it."

Joshua must first travel flooded Dubois successful beforehand of a British post-war grounds of 96,000 fans, which will apical nan 94,000 group by Fury v Dillian Whyte successful 2022.

After Saturday's event, astir 480,000 spectators will person watched Joshua header successful six UK stadium fights.

"People ever inquire maine wherever nan adjacent AJ is coming from. You person to understand, this personification is simply a one-off and location will ne'er beryllium different one," added Hearn.

"Whatever you deliberation of his boxing ability, successful position of really he has transcended nan sport, changed boxing by opening up stadium fights arsenic portion of nan norm, it will ne'er beryllium repeated."

Dubois, 27, will make a first defence of nan title he won aft he was upgraded from interim to afloat world champion erstwhile Usyk vacated nan IBF belt.

Although Dubois challenged Usyk successful beforehand of 40,000 fans successful Poland past year, Hearn feels it "takes a circumstantial benignant of individual" to grip nan unit of topping a Wembley Stadium bill.

"The media attraction and frenzy, each nan moments earlier nan doorbell connected conflict nighttime - you've sewage to clasp your nervus erstwhile you locomotion done that passageway successful beforehand of 96,000 people," said Hearn.

"For AJ this is breadstuff and butter. He's been location earlier and done it but he's sewage nan hunger and nan desire.

"Forget nan money successful nan bank, he severely wants to go world champion again."