Anthony Joshua has been offered an offer to withdraw from the rematch against Oleksandr Usyk to allow the Ukrainian to fight Tyson Fury for the undisputed world heavyweight title, a promoter said Wednesday. Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn said it might make sense for the British fighter to step aside and then face the winner of the Usyk-Fury fight. “If the plan makes sense from a development standpoint — working with a new trainer, maybe having a previous fight, going into a bigger challenge — I can see it,” Hearn said on the DAZN boxing show. “But with Anthony it’s never been a case of ‘here’s some money, are you tempted by it?’ Because it’s not about that. He is a fighter with history. It’s about his legacy.” Hearn wouldn’t disclose the value of the offer, but said it’s ultimately Joshua’s call: “AJ is the boss — he’s going to drop it or not.” The heavyweight division is on hold as WBC monarch Fury ends negotiations with Dillian Whyte, the mandatory challenger for his world championship Fury and Whyte’s representatives have not reached an agreement on the distribution of the income from the fight and the WBC offered them an extension in the negotiation, which expires on Friday, when an auction will be held to define the bags, in case they do not reach an agreement. Whyte’s promoter is Hearn, who is also in charge of the potential Joshua-Usyk rematch. Joshua lost the WBA, WBO and IBF belts to Usyk in September and has since activated a clause in his contract for a rematch. “All he wants is to get the heavyweight titles back,” Hearn said. “Right now he has a great chance to get it if he has a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk. “Any step aside, another plan, it has to be solid. No, ‘hopefully they have a winner and Fury faces Usyk and then decides to be inactive for two years’… he’s not looking for another fight, another plan, looking to step aside.”
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