Eddie Hearn has lifted the lid on the reason why he decided not to sign Tyson Fury in 2017.

Anthony Joshua's promoter, 42, opened up to Boxing Social's Rob Tebbutt in a wide-ranging interview and spoke of the incredible decision which still baffles many boxing fans to this day.  

Back then, the Gypsy King had started talking about a possible comeback after being out of the ring for over two years.

Hearn meanwhile had built up a stable of heavyweight boxers including David Allen, Derek Chisora and Dillian Whyte.   

However, the Matchroom boss still arranged an infamous meeting with Fury in Monaco with the apparent intention of signing him later that day, only to quickly change his mind after seeing him standing there in the flesh. 

Hearn explained: "I honestly never regret anything.

"It's hard because AJ is a close friend of mine.

Tyson Fury pictured with Joseph Parker

"I always wanted them two to fight and AJ to be our guy and I could just imagine him beating him.

"With Tyson, I flew him out to Monaco and he was about 26 stone. He was sweating, and I just thought to myself: ‘You ain't ever fighting again'.

"The plan was to have two easy fights, by that we meant Sefer Seferi and those kind of guys which he did, but then have a step-up and fight like Manuel Charr or someone like this.

"I was just thinking... If I had known that he would fight Sefer Seferi, someone else and then Deontay Wilder I would have been all over it."

Fury and Hearn haven't always seen eye to eye, with the pair engaging in a long-running feud via social media and several interviews over the years.  

Yet Hearn nevertheless has a great deal of respect for the man who has taken over from AJ as Britain's heavyweight king.  

And he even admitted his frustration at not being involved when Fury flew out to Las Vegas to  take on Deontay Wilder in their trilogy fight last year.

He added: "I have a huge amount of respect for Tyson Fury. But would I have loved to have been involved in Fury-Wilder? Of course, that's my bread and butter!” 

"That's what I live for, but at the same time I know we have Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora and those kinds of people but it would have been a really awkward situation to try and have both [Fury and AJ].

"But you can't say you wouldn't respect a fighter and a character like Tyson Fury because he's become a big star."

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