Eddie Hearn believes Tyson Fury will make a spectacular U-turn on his retirement.
‘The Gypsy King’ announced his intention to step away from the sport earlier this week after suffering a second consecutive defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in December.
He had previously been heavily linked with a two-fight deal against Anthony Joshua in 2025.
However, those plans have now been put on hold.
Fury’s promoter Frank Warren told talkSPORT on Monday that he believes his client’s career is over.
But Hearn is still holding out hope.
“The two biggest fights in British boxing are Benn vs Eubank Jr and AJ vs Fury,” Hearn said during an appearance on talkSPORT Breakfast on Wednesday morning.
“One is over the line, one is not in play at the moment. It takes two to tango and AJ is alone on the dance floor.
“So whatever Tyson decides to do, if it is the end for him, we wish him all the best.
“He’s had a great career. But I think he will be back, in my opinion.”
If Fury does stick to his guns then Hearn insists AJ has plenty of options when it comes to his next outing.
The Matchroom Boxing promoter named Martin Bakole, Dillian Whyte, and Deontay Wilder as well as the winners of Daniel Dubois vs Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang vs Agit Kabayel as potential dance partners for Joshua next.
QueensberryHearn joined talkSPORT to give his take on Joshua vs Fury[/caption]
“We are going to fight again whatever,” Hearn told Seconds Out.
“It’s not like ‘Oh if Fury doesn’t fight us and we don’t get Dubois, we are retiring’.
“AJ wants to fight and he’s still in love with the sport. I’m just telling you names now, whether they are a possibility I have no idea.
“Deontay Wilder, Dillian Whyte, Martin Bakole, [winner of] Dubois vs Parker, [winner of] Zhilei Zhang against Agit Kabayel.”
The only fighter on that list that isn’t currently tied up by a fight is Whyte.
Bakole is in ‘advanced negotiations’ to face Efe Ajagba in an IBF final eliminator to decide the major sanctioning body’s mandatory.
Anthony Joshua’s six backup options
Martin Bakole
Dillian Whyte
Deontay Wilder
Zhilei Zhang vs Agit Kabayel winner
Daniel Dubois vs Joseph Parker winner
Dubois is the current IBF champion and is set to defend his belt against Parker on February 22 with Zhang and Kabayel duking it out for the WBC ‘interim’ trinket on the same bill.
Wilder, meanwhile, has reportedly signed his side of a deal to face journeyman boxer Curtis Harper in the spring.
