LONDON • Tyson Fury is eager to give the public, particularly British boxing fans, what they want by fighting Anthony Joshua for the undisputed world heavyweight title.

There has not been a unified heavyweight champion since Briton Lennox Lewis beat American Evander Holyfield in November 1999, with Lewis' reign ending just four months later after being stripped of his World Boxing Association (WBA) belt due to a contract dispute.

Twenty years on, Fury, who is the World Boxing Council (WBC) champion, and Joshua, who holds the International Boxing Federation (IBF), WBA, World Boxing Organisation and International Boxing Organisation titles, are on a collision course with history.

But both British fighters must first take care of their immediate opponents if they are to set up that dream match-up which, if it happens, will take place next year.

Joshua defeated Mexican-American Andy Ruiz Jr in a December rematch in Saudi Arabia to reclaim his four belts and he now has to take care of mandatory IBF challenger Kubrat Pulev of Bulgaria.

Their bout was scheduled for June 20, but has since been postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Fury seized the WBC title in Las Vegas in February with a seventh-round stoppage of Deontay Wilder, but he will have to meet the American for the third time at an as-yet-confirmed location and date this year, owing to a rematch clause.

Fury does not want to think too far ahead, although he admitted the clash with Joshua had the potential to be as big, if not bigger than the 1993 "Battle of Britain" bout between Lewis and Frank Bruno.

"If I get knocked out by Wilder, then it won't be on, will it," he told Sky Sports yesterday. "It'll be another fight with Wilder... If he loses to Pulev, so close, but so far.

"In heavyweight boxing, you can never count your chickens before they hatch, so one fight at a time, one victory at a time.

"All going well... we get on the big fight with me and Joshua, the all-British showdown, and I can give the fans what they want to see, especially the British fans."

Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, welcomed Fury's desire to satisfy the public's demand.

He told Sky that "we have no problem signing (the deal) now to fight Fury in 2021".

REUTERS