Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua would be biggest sporting event since 1966 World Cup final, says Frank Warren

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Malik Ouzia @MalikOuzia_23 February 2020

Frank Warren believes a world heavyweight unification fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua would be the biggest sporting event in Britain since the 1966 World Cup final.

Fury claimed the WBC, Ring Magazine and lineal world titles with a stunning seventh round stoppage of previously undefeated American Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas on Sunday morning.

The WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO titles, meanwhile, belong to Joshua, who regained the belts in a rematch with Mexican Andy Ruiz Jr. in December, having suffered a surprise first professional defeat against the same man in New York last summer.

In the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s fight, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn tweeted to say he wanted a unification bout to take place this year and Warren, who plays the same role to Fury, was in agreement.

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“I’d like to see him fight Joshua,” he said. “That would be the biggest sporting event to take place since the ’66 World Cup final.

“That’s the best performance I’ve ever seen from a British boxer in the ring. Heavyweight, whatever weight. It’s a phenomenal performance that he put on there.

“He is true British sporting great, he’s there. He’s done something that’s just phenomenal, come to the other guy’s back yard. Not once – he went to Germany [and beat Wladimir Klitschko] and did the same thing, he’s been here twice with Wilder and he absolutely took him apart and destroyed him.”

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Any fight with Joshua could be put on hold if Wilder decides to take up the option of another rematch, a clause included in the agreement for this weekend’s fight.

However, Hearn believes the 34-year-old would be foolish to do so.

“He’s not going to beat him if it happens again,” he said. “I don’t see that happening. What’s he going to bring? He’s got nothing else in his armoury and I just don’t see what he could do.

“But it’s the money and what he’d get from a rematch. So does he want more money or does he value his health?”