Eddie Hearn dismisses chances of Anthony Joshua stepping aside for Tyson Fury

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Anthony Joshua will not consider stepping aside to allow Tyson Fury to face Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed heavyweight title fight, promotor Eddie Hearn has said.

In an interview last week, Joshua admitted that he could drop his rematch agreement with Usyk in order for the two heavyweight champions to meet in the ring “if it made sense for business”.

Joshua lost his WBA, WBO and IBF titles when he was defeated by Ukrainian Usyk in September and he has since exercised his rematch clause for a second fight next spring.

WBC champion Fury is no closer to settling upon a new opponent after defeating Deontay Wilder in October, but Hearn has dismissed the suggestion that Joshua would allow his British rival to face Usyk first.

The promoter did admit, however, that it could become a consideration if the right offer was made, but the Matchroom Boxing chief was adamant that Joshua remains focused on Usyk.

"I don’t think that’s a consideration,” Hearn told IFL TV when asked about Joshua’s comments. “I think at some point if an offer was presented to someone that would be a situation where it would be difficult to not discuss Joshua stepping aside.

"At the moment, the only focus is on the rematch. Anthony Joshua wants to fight Oleksandr Usyk.

“Until that is presented to him, and it hasn’t been presented to him in terms of stepping aside, that’s all the focus is.

“I haven’t seen the interview, but speaking to him, all he wants to do is rematch Oleksandr Usyk."