According to former world heavyweight champion David Haye, the time has come for Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury to put their differences aside and step into the ring together. As a two-weight world titlist and a star of British heavyweight boxing, Haye believes this highly anticipated fight is essential for both boxers' legacies. Haye expressed to Sky Sports that now is the perfect moment for the two fighters to face off, emphasizing that they both need this fight for different reasons.
He stressed that they should be actively pushing for this bout, as it represents the biggest possible fight for both of them. "The fact that they were active during the same era and never fought is a significant factor.
They need to prove who's the better fighter, and that's what makes this matchup so crucial," Haye explained. Both Fury and Joshua have recently experienced setbacks, losing their world titles to Oleksandr Usyk. Fury has returned to boxing after a year-long hiatus, while Joshua is resuming training after recovering from a car accident. There are ongoing discussions for the two boxers to fight later this year, with Joshua likely to participate in a warm-up bout first.
His promoter, Eddie Hearn, revealed that they've received a contract for the Fury fight, which is currently under discussion. Although Haye acknowledges that both fighters are past their peak, he believes the fight can still be a significant event, similar to the matchup between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, which didn't occur during their prime but still generated massive interest and revenue. Haye thinks that Fury's recent 12 rounds with Arslanbek Makhmudov could be the perfect preparation for his fight against Joshua, as Makhmudov's size, strength, and fighting style are similar to Joshua's.