Frank Warren is optimistic that Tyson Fury will fight Anthony Joshua next March.

The two boxers have tried to make the fight on two occasions, but so far, nothing has gotten over the line. Team Fury made a 60-40 offer before the Gypsy King faced Derek Chisora. Joshua’s team alleged that unrealistic deadlines prevented the fight from happening. Another offer was made to Joshua on the same terms last year. However, Joshua opted to face Robert Helenius instead.

Since then, both boxers have had contrasting performances. Fury struggled against Francis Ngannou, who was making his boxing debut. The former UFC Heavyweight Champion pushed Fury to the final bell as he dropped the Gypsy King in the third round.

While Fury got a split-decision win, there were some suggestions that Ngannou had been robbed of a win. Joshua has looked much more comfortable since teaming up with Ben Davidson. He stopped Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou in his last two fights. That has made a Fury vs Joshua fight more appealing. Warren expects it to happen next year.

Warren Reacts

"Next March, if Tyson does what I believe he’ll do and AJ continues to win, I’m sure that’ll set up a big fight. It’s like going back to the late 60s, 70s, that’s what’s happening now. These guys are all fighting each other," Warren said 

That depends on a few factors. Fury will face Oleksandr Usyk on May 18 for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship of the World. They have a rematch clause, meaning the loser can activate another bout. There is a chance that Usyk will come out victorious against Fury.

If that were to happen, there are question marks over whether Joshua would face Usyk for a third time. The Usyk fight would give him the chance to become undisputed. But even if that were the case, the Fury fight is big enough to sell without belts. Usyk’s promoter, Alex Krassyuk, has also dismissed the idea of a third fight with Joshua.

Usyk’s Promoter

"I am not sure AJ wants the third one deep in his heart. It seems to be dangerous. It might look like a gambling addiction to many. After you’ve lost money on roulette, you come back full of confidence. You bet twice or three times more than you’ve lost, expecting your bet to win. But in the end, you realize that you have lost everything.

"One more thing that makes their third fight less probable is the sequence of the mandatories. As we all know, the next stop of the carousel is IBF, not the WBC. No matter who wins, the rematch goes next as we will enforce it. And even if the IBF let it [the mandatory] go, after the second fight – the IBF is next in line, not the WBC," Krassyuk said

There is also the question of whether Fury will want to continue fighting if he beats Usyk. A win over the Ukrainian makes him the first Undisputed Heavyweight Champion since 1999, a feat Lennox Lewis achieved by beating Evander Holyfield. That could set up the perfect narrative to retire, leaving many hurdles that need to be resolved before fans see a Fury vs Joshua bout.

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