TYSON FURY has been urged to fight Joe Joyce instead of Manuel Charr if Anthony Joshua talks collapse.
Promoter Eddie Hearn insisted negotiations for Joshua to face Fury on December 3 in Cardiff are ongoing.
But an impatient Gypsy King wanted a deal signed yesterday and instead claimed he was moving on to fight Charr.
It is a move slammed by Hearn, who suggested Fury, 34, should look to Joyce, 37, as an alternative to AJ.
He told Off Script on Dubai Eye “I’ve just opened up Instagram and saw he’s called out Manuel Charr again.
“He’s calling him out like this is a guy who is an actual credible heavyweight. ‘You’re the one Manuel, you’ve got the guts.’
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“This is a guy who’s not even rated. It’s a chronic mismatch and if he doesn’t want to fight AJ, why doesn’t he fight Joe Joyce?
“He’s ready to go and they have the same promotional company.”
Fury was ringside as Joyce beat his training partner Joseph Parker, 30, in Manchester to be crowned WBO “interim” champion.
It guarantees him a shot at the title currently held by Oleksandr Usyk, 35, who beat Joshua, 32, twice.
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Fury hailed Joyce as the second-best heavyweight in the world, but maintained he will only fight him after unifying against Usyk.
But the Ukrainian ruled himself out until next year having returned to his war-torn home for the first time after a period in training.
That is why Fury called out AJ, leading to talks for a shock Battle of Britain in Wales.
Broadcasters DAZN, BT Sport and ESPN have all held talks to share a rare duel pay-per-view.
But Hearn has maintained a deal, which entitles Fury to 60 per cent of the split, is far from finalised.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk