Frank Warren claims Anthony Joshua has REJECTED the chance to face Tyson Fury in September

‘They basically do not want the fight’: Frank Warren claims Anthony Joshua has REJECTED the chance to face Tyson Fury in September… will instead return this summer before taking on Deontay Wilder in December

  • Frank Warren says Tyson Fury is ‘desperate’ to fight Anthony Joshua at Wembley
  • However, Joshua has turned to opportunity down to focus on Deontay Wilder
  • Warren says the Battle of Britain clash may never happen if he loses to Wilder  

Frank Warren says Tyson Fury is ‘desperate’ to fight Anthony Joshua at Wembley this summer but claims it’s unlikely the fight with take place as AJ has turned down the opportunity. 

Fury took to social media earlier in the week to confirm he was back in talks with AJ over a September bout at Wembley and even said he had sent Matchroom a draft contract.

However, Warren has extinguished any hopes of the two British heavyweights facing each other this summer – stating AJ has turned down the opportunity to fight the Gypsy King because he is focused on facing Deontay Wilder. 

This is not the first time negotiations between Fury and Joshua have fallen through. The pair were locked in talks over a Battle of Britain bout last year before the Gypsy King walked away after growing impatient waiting for AJ to sign the contract.

Negotiations over the highly-anticipated bout had been ongoing for months before both parties declared the fight – which was scheduled to take place on December 3, 2022 – was officially off the cards. 

Frank Warren says Tyson Fury is 'desperate' to fight Anthony Joshua at Wembley this summer

Frank Warren says Tyson Fury is ‘desperate’ to fight Anthony Joshua at Wembley this summer

However, Warren says Joshua (above) has turned the opportunity down after stating he didn't want to take the fight

Fury took to social media earlier in the week to confirm he was back in talks with AJ over a September bout at Wembley

However, Warren says Joshua (left) has turned the opportunity down after stating he didn’t want to take the fight with Fury (right)

The news comes shortly after Fury took to social media to announce they were back in talks

The news comes shortly after Fury took to social media to announce they were back in talks

Fury was hopeful a deal would materialise this time around after Queensbury sent Matchroom ‘a written proposal’ for the bout. However, AJ has ‘chosen not to take the fight’ according to Warren. 

Speaking to talkSPORT, Warren said: ‘Let me clarify what has actually happened. ‘Last week, a written proposal was sent to Matchroom for AJ to fight Tyson in September.

‘Eddie Hearn came back and spoke to my son George, who said it will take a couple of days to see where they are with it.

‘Couple of days went by and George met yesterday with AJ’s management company. They confirmed that AJ is fighting in Dubai in December, that is his preferred route.’

Warren went on to add: ‘There is a space open in August but they basically do not want to do the fight. That is what happened. 

‘When Tyson said there was a draft contract, what happened is we had prepared a draft contract the last time we had negotiations.

‘So there was nothing really to be concerned about in terms of negotiations it was just if they wanted the fight or not.

Warren said Joshua was focused on fighting Deontay Wilder (above) before facing Fury

Warren said Joshua was focused on fighting Deontay Wilder (above) before facing Fury 

Warren worries a Battle of Britain clash with Fury will never take place if AJ loses to Wilder

Warren worries a Battle of Britain clash with Fury will never take place if AJ loses to Wilder

‘So the situation is, Tyson is desperate to make the fight happen, as he was against Usyk. But AJ has chosen not to take the fight and that is where we are at.’

When asked whether he thought a Battle of Britain clash would take place in the future, Warren said: ‘The terms were agreed over a fight to take place but the only reason it didn’t take place is because Frank Smith of Matchroom said that the fight would never have happened anyway because AJ wasn’t ready. And more importantly, he didn’t have a trainer. So that is where we are.

He went on to add: ‘I don’t know why AJ can’t fight in September and then go and fight Wilder in Dubai afterwards. 

‘If AJ gets beat by Wilder in December, I don’t think [the fight will happen] because he’d have got beaten by a person Fury has beaten three times. This is the time to make the fight, this is what we should all be focusing on.’