Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua: Finally
There is that old football terminology. Can they do it on a cold night in December? But can they still do it, period?
Two faded British heavyweights who are clearly on that dreaded irreversible decline. There is no argument on that. Fury and Joshua are not once what they were. The fight isn’t what it once could have been. Ego and greed got in the way of that. It nearly did so again.
It now carries a ring of one last desperate money grab. The final cash out. The masses will still watch. Everyone will make enough money to satisfy. But the fight doesn’t carry anywhere near the same importance it once carried. In truth, it’s not even close. But when there is money to be made, and plenty of it, who cares?
Boxing News had Fury and Joshua on the front cover of the then weekly printed magazine six years ago. The headline read ‘It’s On’. Underneath it said, ‘Well, kind of.’ There’s just a few things to be ironed out first. Not much has changed. But finally, we have a fight. Some would say, THE fight.
Netflix are doing most of the heavy lifting financially. They wanted it in America at Madison Square Garden. Eddie Hearn and Anthony Joshua held out for a UK venue. Joshua stayed silent. Hearn anything but. Those friendly YouTube outlets in search of clicks helped him sell his case. Obviously, unchallenged. What else?
All parties settled on Cardiff on December 11th
It was very much a case of now or never. They knew they couldn’t lose it again.
At 38, the signs of decay are obvious for Fury. Comeback wins Arslanbek Makhmudov and a Mariusz Wach hardly inspired. Joshua, who turns 37 next month, is probably even more of a depleted force. The performance against Jake Paul was deeply concerning. The one over Kristian Prenga, even more so. Climbing off the floor against the handpicked Prenga was a shocking sight. To his credit, in both fights, Joshua found the punches he needed. But what came before showed an obvious decline. But against Fury, he might only need one punch.
The online and negotiating nonsense finally gave way to a deal. It’s long past its sell-by date.
But as they say, it finally, got done.
