It’s a big risk sparring with Anthony Joshua, Eddie Hearn warns Fury

Eddie Hearn has urged Tyson Fury to think twice before going ahead with proposed sparring sessions against heavyweight rival Anthony Joshua before his money-spinning rematch with Deontay Wilder.

After recapturing his world heavyweight titles and avenging his loss over Andy Ruiz Jr, Joshua offered to fly to Fury’s Las Vegas training camp to help him prepare in his bid to dethrone WBC champion Deontay Wilder on February 22.

The self-styled Gypsy King accepted Joshua’s proposal and said he would relish the opportunity to spar his compatriot again – the two having shared the ring when AJ was an amateur.

Although Joshua has since expressed regret over his public offer, Hearn believes it would be wise for Fury to avoid sparring the unified champion given the severity of the wounds suffered in his last fight against Otto Wallin. Fury survived two horrific cuts to his eye to outpoint his Swedish adversary and Hearn has warned him about the risks of them re-opening despite the 31-year-old recently being given the green light to return to sparring.

‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he went out there,’ Hearn said to iFL TV.‘It’s a bit weird because he might fight the winner. Josh is his own boss, if he fancies it, he’ll just go.‘Doesn’t matter what I or Rob (McCracken, trainer) will say, he’ll just go. I wouldn’t want to open up that cut.’

Fury is in camp at the moment for his blockbuster clash with Wilder, which takes place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.Joshua is desperate to face the winner of that fight, which could be for all the heavyweight belts, providing he doesn’t have to vacate.The Brit has been mandated by the IBF to face Kubrat Pulev while the WBO have given the Brit a deadline to face their No 1 ranked fighter Oleksandr Usyk.