Joshua boxed in December, stopping Jake Paul in the sixth round, a bout Hearn described as a stay-busy outing rather than essential preparation. With that fight behind him, Hearn indicated Joshua does not require additional activity before facing Fury.
“We would go straight into that fight, but we have had our run-out,” Hearn said to Fight Hub TV. “If Tyson was ready, we’d go straight in.”
Hearn acknowledged that Fury’s own layoff complicates the timeline and said both sides recognise the risk involved in the matchup.
“He’s been out for a year as well,” Hearn said. “He knows how dangerous the AJ fight is. If we have to fight again in February or March, we’ll do it. But we’ll also go straight into the fight.”
While Joshua’s December bout kept him active, it is not viewed as a traditional heavyweight preparation for a fight of Fury’s scale. Hearn has suggested that if Joshua does take another fight, it would likely be against a ranked heavyweight rather than another crossover opponent.
The Joshua-Fury matchup has been discussed publicly for several years without materialising, with timing, leverage, and form repeatedly cited as obstacles. Hearn said talks regarding a 2026 bout remain ongoing and are expected to involve Saudi backer Turki Alalshikh as discussions progress.
“We’re committed to that fight,” Hearn said. “We’ve been in conversations for a long time about what 2026 looks like.”
For now, Joshua’s position appears clear: he is prepared to fight Fury immediately, but the fight’s next steps depend on whether Fury is ready to return and commit to a defined schedule.
