Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn says boxing bosses in Saudi are ‘deadly serious’ about heavyweight tournament

EDDIE HEARN said boxing bosses in Saudi Arabia are “deadly serious” about hosting a tournament-style series of heavyweight fights.

Hearn has been locked in negotiations for Anthony Joshua, 33, to face Deontay Wilder, 37, in the Middle East in December.

Anthony Joshua with promoter Eddie HearnRex

Deontay Wilder is in talks to fight Anthony JoshuaGetty

And organisers want it to sensationally fall on the same night as a bout between Tyson Fury, 34, and Oleksandr Usyk, 36.

Hearn told Stamina for Sale: “The situation is, Saudi Arabia would like to do Fury against Usyk, AJ against Wilder on the same night.

“I went out there two weeks ago, they’re deadly serious, I’ve done two big fights with them before, I know they deliver.

“As I understand it, they’ve been doing their own negotiations with Deontay Wilder, which has gone very well.

“They’ve been talking to Usyk for a year, because he boxed AJ over there and they know the rough kind of numbers that we want based on what we received for the Andy Ruiz fight and Usyk fight in Saudi Arabia.

“Fury is another story altogether, but not my business. But all I’m concerned about is doing the deal for AJ against Wilder, because if they can’t get Usyk and Fury over the line they will still do AJ against Wilder.

“This is what they want. They want this big quartet. AJ’s already told me ‘no problem’.

“You hit the numbers that we want for the fight, that aren’t unreasonable and not hugely out of proportion in terms of what he received there last time, we’re in.”

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Fury and Usyk saw the heavyweight division’s first ever four-belt unification collapse due to a row over the split for a potential rematch.

Now Usyk has been ordered by the WBA into a mandatory title defence against Daniel Dubois, 25, with talks ongoing.

Meanwhile Fury has been left scrambling to find an opponent for his planned return fight in the summer.

But the WBC champion has not lost hope in finally facing Usyk and insisted it will happen before the year closes.

Fury said in a press conference: “There’s a lot going on in Saudi Arabia, massive amounts of money being talked about.

“I just think that got the better of it, the temptation of £75million/£100million down the line rather than doing it now.

“These prizefighters fight for a few quid, they’ll fight anybody so I don’t think anybody’s scared of anybody in a boxing match.

“The fight’s gotta happen, it’s gotta happen this year. I just think it’s an easy job, straightforward job.

“I’ll hit him, he’ll hit the floor, then I’ll go out and get drunk in the town centre.”

Tyson Fury facing off with Oleksandr UsykREUTERS