LONDON -- Promoter Frank Warren has denied any suggestion that Tyson Fury's retirement announcement is a negotiating tactic ahead of a potential fight with Anthony Joshua.
Fury announced on Monday he would retire from boxing after back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk. Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn suggested that the announcement could be an attempt to improve Fury's standing in discussions around a potential heavyweight clash between the two British stars.
However, Warren dismissed that notion, telling reporters on Monday: "What is there to negotiate? [Fury's] the A-side of the card. I mean who do you think is the A-side of the card? It's a no brainer, isn't it?
"There's no way it's going to be Joshua."
Joshua called Fury out on Saturday at the Ring Magazine Awards in London, saying the fight "has to happen this year."
Hearn said he wasn't fully convinced that Fury wouldn't unretire again.
"I don't know if Tyson Fury is ready yet to live the life without boxing and without competition and confrontation, but maybe, I really don't know the guy," Hearn told reporters.
"I'm not going to accuse him of it not being genuine, but I think you get a better deal coming out of retirement. Or maybe he just hasn't got the stomach for it anymore."
Warren admitted he was caught off guard by Fury's announcement but said he supports the decision "100%" if that's what the fighter wants.
When asked if he would be disappointed if the hugely anticipated Fury-Joshua fight didn't happen, Warren said, "For me? I couldn't give a toss. It doesn't bother me at all. That fight, if it was going to happen, it would've happened and if he'd have gone into it, he'd have been the A-side of it.
"I mean AJ's last fight, [against Daniel Dubois] he got well and truly beaten."