Joshua vs Fury collapsed due to issue but Eddie Hearn ‘not devastated’

Eddie Hearn has revealed another reason that the negotiations for Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury fell through. The British promoter claims that Joshua not being given his preferred date of December 17 was a big contributing factor to the fight not getting over the line.Joshua was initially offered November 12 at Old Trafford when the all-British showdown was first discussed as a possibility in early September. However, Hearn countered with Joshua’s preferred date of December 17.The Matchroom Boxing chief claimed that Fury already had the date booked at Wembley Stadium, but Fury denied this fact. Instead, he presented two alternative two options – November 26 at Wembley Stadium or December 3 at the Principality Stadium.Joshua’s team reluctantly accepted the latter but according to Hearn the lack of time off after his loss to Oleksandr Usyk was not ideal for the Watford powerhouse. Eddie Hearn has mentioned that the date for Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua was an issue (Image: GETTY/ talkSPORT)’It’s probably a bit of everybody’s fault,’ Hearn told talkSPORT. ‘It’s a very complex situation for both teams, with TV networks. Listen, I don’t mind saying, AJ’s just coming off a defeat, he wanted December 17, but we agreed to December 3.’He would have had to get back into the gym immediately, which he was going to do. I don’t sit here today, as someone who represents Anthony Joshua, devastated that fight didn’t happen. He wanted to take it, so I was all in, but it was a very quick turnaround for him in a fight of that magnitude.Joshua is expected to return to the ring in January or February next year against a ‘credible top 15 opponent’. ‘I think he’s going to fight January or February, early next year,’ Hearn added.MORE BOXING NEWS…Joshua left red-faced as Usyk plans before their fight come to lightFury ‘should be embarrassed’ about Chisora fight says OrtizWilder suffers grim career-low number of PPV buys despite Helenius KO Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury were supposed to square off on December 3 (Image: GETTY)’The issue with AJ is, in my opinion, he’s coming off the back of two Usyk defeats, coming off the back of the disappointment and the emotional implosion after the fight… I think he should come back with two standard top 15 opponents, good solid fights, but he doesn’t really want it.’The current frontrunner for Joshua’s return is Dillian Whyte who was defeated by Joshua back in 2015 in a British and Commonwealth heavyweight title clash. He faces Jermaine Franklin on November 26 at Wembley Arena in the first fight since his knockout loss to Fury six months ago.Providing he overcomes his next challenge, a rematch could be made for early 2023 but if he is not available or is beaten by Franklin then Otto Wallin is understood to be in the running as well.