Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have finally signed a long-awaited deal that aims to not only unify the heavyweight division for the first time in its history but could possibly also save modern boxing. The two heavyweight champions have been in and out of negotiations for the last few months, but according to promoter Eddie Hearn, the terms of the 2-fight blockbuster deal have finally been reached.
With no date or venue set as of yet, both fighters have got a lengthy amount of time to prepare for what will be the biggest fights of their careers, and therefore should be at their best when a date and venue is finalised. However, this fight of the millennia does come with a lot of risks.
We've all seen super fights go wrong before, as with entire careers on the line, fighters become reluctant to put it all on the line. Mayweather Jr vs Pacquiao was meant to be one of the greatest fights of all time, with both boxers at the top of their game at the time of the bout. Instead of a fight, we got two world-class athletes dancing around a ring waiting for their cheques to clear. Who's to say that Joshua vs Fury will be any different? I would say that it's a statistical certainty considering that this is a two-fight deal!
No matter the outcome, the real problems start when the final bell sounds. With the belts unified and history written, I expect this to be both fighters last fights. Boxing is a young man's game and with both fighters over 30 and with no other contenders in sight, it will be a truly magnificent ending to two great professional careers. But what happens next? This is where boxing is in real trouble as for decades, the sport has always had a next great contender, especially in the heavyweight division. Now with Fury and Joshua gone, Wilder ageing, and Ruiz Jr's weight fluctuating like a broken accordion, there is no clear path for the future of heavyweight boxing.
Unfortunately, no other division can compete when taking into account the masses amount of money the heavyweight division produces. But with it dead, the general interest in the sport will continue to deteriorate, until the best boxing anyone will see will be in your local Asda parking-lot.
In terms of the outcome of the fight, I see both fighters sitting back and weighing each other up in the first fight, ending in an uneventful draw. The second fight will be the moneymaker, and I expect Fury's longer reach and superior boxing style to win on points and become the first unified heavyweight champion of the world.
The British Mike Tyson !!! I’m not sure of his name is coming up through the ranks and could inject some interest going forward ?!
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