Frazer Clarke boxed Anthony Joshua as an amateur, sparred with him for years and is now looking to continue his own rise through the professional ranks.
A super-heavyweight Olympic medallist like Joshua before him, Clarke can see the former world champion returning to the top of the sport.
“He’s a performance away from being back in the conversation,” Clarke said of Joshua.
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“Last time out against Jermaine Franklin it was a solid performance. It didn’t set the world alight or do anything to make you think he’d bash [up] Tyson Fury or Usyk. But he’s one performance away from having people demanding the Fury fight next.”
Fury vs Joshua could be the biggest British fight of all time and will be discussed until the pair hang up their gloves.
It would capture the imagination of the British public. But whether it will happen at all is currently part of that discussion.
Clarke seems optimistic but understands the business of boxing more than most.
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“It’s always been a business, but it’s never been a business like it is now. I think Fury is about the business and he doesn’t even want to risk his ‘0’ [undefeated record],” he told Sky Sports.
“I’m the same as any fan, I want to see the best fight the best. But I know how it works behind the scenes. I hear the conversations and the complications when it comes to making the fights.”
So, what would it take in order to see the best like Joshua, Fury and Usyk face off? More than huge fight purses, Clarke explains.
“I think all the fights we want to see will happen. It just takes really good mediators, promoters and fighters that are ultimately willing to fight for the pride of being the best in the world and not to protect their legacy and their ‘0’.”
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The chance for an undisputed heavyweight championship fight between unified champion Oleksandr Usyk and WBC titlist Fury was lost earlier this year when negotiations broke down. Both are fighting different opponents next.
“Usyk has not lost; Fury has not lost. They’ve got to fight each other. In boxing we want the two best fighters to end up fighting each other,” Clarke said.
“When you get these huge paydays, you don’t want to see them stop. I’d be the same, we all like a few quid but there is the moral thing about it being a sport, and if people aren’t going to fight each other is it really sport anymore?”
