The much-awaited heavyweight bout between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury must “definitely” take place by the end of 2025 or it will never happen, said promoter Eddie Hearn.
A super-fight between two generational stars of British boxing has been mooted for several years but always stalled during negotiations.
Joshua, 34, challenges Daniel Dubois for the IBF belt at Wembley Stadium on Saturday and Fury, 36, takes on Oleksandr Usyk – who holds the three other recognised world titles – in December’s rematch.
“I do think AJ-Fury will happen regardless of whether Fury wins or not, but the size of the fight depends on their next two results,” Hearn told BBC Sport.
In June, Joshua urged Fury to fight him while both boxers are still “fresh” but said he will not “sit around and wait” for his fellow British heavyweight.
Asked whether there is a deadline of next year, Matchroom’s Hearn replied: “Yes, definitely.”
With substantial investment into boxing from Saudi Arabia, there is new hope the bout will finally materialise.
“If AJ beats Dubois and Fury beats Usyk, you’ve got the biggest fight in the history of the sport ever. If one loses and the other wins, it’s still a monster fight,” Hearn added.
Joshua broke down in tears after a second consecutive defeat by Usyk in 2022, but worked himself back into a world-title mandatory challenger position with a four-fight winning streak.
If he beats 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 the achievement will be something incredible if he can pull it off,” Hearn said.
“We’re two wins away from undisputed and one win away from getting a fight to be undisputed. I truly believe he will still do it.”
Joshua must first come overcome Dubois in front of a British post-war record of 96,000 fans, which will top the 94,000 set by Fury v Dillian Whyte in 2022.
After Saturday’s event, around 480,000 spectators will have watched Joshua headline in six UK stadium fights.
“People always ask me where the next AJ is coming from. You have to understand, this person is a one-off and there will never be another one,” added Hearn.
“Whatever you think of his boxing ability, in terms of how he has transcended the sport, changed boxing by opening up stadium fights as part of the norm, it will never be repeated.”
Joshua became world champion in 2016. He lost the title to Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019 before winning the rematch just six months later.
Dubois, 27, will make a first defence of the title he won after he was upgraded from interim to full world champion when Usyk vacated the IBF belt.
Although Dubois challenged Usyk in front of 40,000 fans in Poland last year, Hearn feels it “takes a specific kind of individual” to handle the pressure of topping a Wembley Stadium bill.
“The media attention and frenzy, all the moments before the bell on fight night – you’ve got to hold your nerve when you walk through that tunnel in front of 96,000 people,” said Hearn.
“For AJ this is bread and butter. He’s been there before and done it but he’s got the hunger and the desire.
“Forget the money in the bank, he badly wants to become world champion again.”
