Fury vs Joshua: Deontay Wilder could be offered money to step aside for British clash this summer

Tyson Fury’s promoter Frank Warren says he would be willing to offer Deontay Wilder "step-aside money" to make a heavyweight unification bout with Anthony Joshua this summer.

Fury became a two-time heavyweight champion in Las Vegas on Saturday night, overpowering Wilder, whose corner threw in the towel in the seventh round to end the contest.

Wilder, who held the belt for over five years before being stopped by ‘The Gypsy King’, has already signalled his intention to activate a rematch clause, with a trilogy fight likely to take place later this year.

Fury’s win, however, has set up the tantalising prospect of a unification showdown with IBF, WBO and WBA champion Joshua that would serve as the biggest fight in the history of British boxing.

Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, is eager to make the fight happen this year but a number of obstacles remain in the way – chiefly Joshua’s own mandatory IBF title defence against Kubrat Pulev slated for June and the third Wilder fight.

Like Hearn, Warren would also rather see Joshua and Fury fight to unify the division and has suggested the latter's camp could offer Wilder money to relinquish his immediate rematch option.

"I prefer to go straight to Joshua, but that is the contract," Warren told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It has to be honoured unless we can reach some accommodation for him to step aside. We could pay him to step aside if he wants to do that, but that is his choice.”

Wilder has 30 days from Saturday to trigger his rematch clause.

While the Joshua fight may be more alluring, Warren admits that the signals from the Wilder camp are that he fully intends to take the rematch and is confident of winning his world title back.

"It's a bit of both," Warren said. "It would be lucrative for him, but I have spoken to his manager and Deontay does believe he has the beating of Tyson, and he can knock him out.

"I don't believe that. I fancied Tyson to stop him before the fight at the weekend.

"If he insists on the fight, we're locked into it."

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