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Hearn wants Joshua-Fury all-British showdown this year

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AFP London
Last Updated : Feb 23 2020 | 8:06 PM IST

Anthony Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn wants a blockbuster all-British heavyweight unification fight with Tyson Fury this year after Fury battered Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas to become a two-time world champion.

Fury brought Wilder's five-year reign as WBC heavyweight champion to a halt in seven rounds in their rematch on Saturday.

Fourteen months after their dramatic split-decision draw, Fury dominated the American -- who had blood dripping from his left ear and leaking from his mouth when referee Kenny Bayless called a halt as Wilder's corner threw in the towel.

"The king has returned to the top of the throne," said Fury, who had dropped Wilder in the third and fifth rounds as he remained unbeaten while handing Wilder the first defeat of his career.

The question is, what happens next? Will there be a Wilder-Fury part three or a historic all-British meeting with Joshua? Fury and Hearn are both expecting Wilder, who has a re-match clause, to ask for a third fight but Hearn is impatient to stage "the biggest fight in the history of the sport".

"No need for a third let's go straight to it in the summer!" tweeted the promoter.

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Joshua holds the WBA, IBF and WBO titles after winning his rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr last year and Hearn believes the two camps now have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make a unification fight happen.

"What a time for British boxing," Hearn said on TalkSport radio. "To have one world heavyweight champion would be great but to have two with all the belts, we will never see it again.

"I have said and I will make this clear, we have to make this fight happen. We will never get the chance for two Brits to fight for an undisputed heavyweight world championship.

"I will promise you we will do everything we can to make this fight happen."
- Joshua eager for Fury fight - ===============================
"Every country in the world will try to get this fight -- for me it should happen in the UK. First things first, let's get the fight made."
"Once again you showed up big. @BronzeBomber (Deontay Wilder) keep your head up and learn from this."
Again, he goes to the lion's den, never ducks a man. I love that WBC belt and I love that Fury is the holder. Congratulations boss."

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First Published: Feb 23 2020 | 8:06 PM IST

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