Anthony Joshua on Tyson Fury

 

Anthony Joshua on Tyson Fury: "I'm ready. I'm really looking forward to competition - all I want to do is fight, fight, fight!" Undisputed heavyweight championship fight is being negotiated for June

Anthony Joshua insists "all options are open" for the location of his fight with Tyson Fury, and has described himself as "the boss" as talks intensify.

Joshua and Fury's teams are locked in negotiations to finalise the generation-defining heavyweight fight that would crown an undisputed champion.

IBF, WBA and WBO titleholder Joshua exclusively told Sky News: "[The pandemic] is getting close to things being normal. We're working on a date for around June.

"So if Tyson is serious, which I think he is, he'll know where to come and find the boss!

"I'm ready. I'm really looking forward to competition - all I want to do is fight, fight, fight!"

Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn recently told Sky Sports that Saudi Arabia, America, Qatar, Dubai, Singapore and China were all interested in hosting the fight.

Joshua told Sky News when asked if it was possible for the fight to remain in the UK: "Any option. Home turf, Middle East, my back garden, your back garden. I don't mind where it is.

"I'm just ready to fight. I want that belt. I want to compete with Fury so all options are open to me."

Joshua had posted on social media on Tuesday: "Another positive meeting with 258 Management. They've informed me things are shaping up nicely. They will be sharing the update with Eddie and you'll be hearing from me soon.

"I'll be undisputed."

Joshua's manager Freddie Cunningham posted: "Working round the clock to bring you some news."

Joshua explained to Sky News: "I try not to do too much teasing. I had a catch-up with 258 Management, the great team I've been working with since I turned professional.

"They have been working in negotiations. They updated my promotional team, they updated me."

Hearn told Sky Sports earlier this month: "Contracts have been backwards and forwards. Only minor details to be resolved on both ends. We're in a good place.

"AJ was in the office yesterday with us. We had a good meeting to finalise our side of stuff.

"We're on the verge now of getting this fight done. We want to make sure the ink is dry, and then we'll go out and finalise the site details."

Two of the potential problems in agreeing the undisputed title fight were Deontay Wilder, who wanted a third fight with Fury, and Oleksandr Usyk, Joshua's WBO mandatory challenger.

Wilder is in arbitration to force his desire but Hearn said: "We've been assured by [Fury's team] that it isn't going to be an issue in making this fight."

And Hearn said about Usyk: "The WBO have ruled [Usyk vs Joe Joyce] for the interim title with a view to the winner fighting the winner of AJ-Fury.