Joshua warned against ‘suicidal’ fight against Tyson Fury 

Legendary US promoter Bob Arum has predicted a "massacre" if Tyson Fury faces Nigerian- born Anthony Joshua next.

The Gypsy King, 34, is keen to fight AJ before the end of the year.

Joshua has been offered a 40 per cent split of what will be the biggest purse in the history of British boxing.

Fury is keen for the bout to happen in late November or early December but Joshua is stalling over, accepting.

And Arum believes the former world champion is unlikely to take the fight following back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.

Arum told Boxing Social: “I don’t think it’s gonna happen because, while Fury would want it to happen, I put myself in the shoes of Eddie Hearn and Joshua.

"And after losing twice to Usyk, the first thing you want to do is to get him back in the ring and get him two fights where it restores his confidence.

"If he goes back in the ring now with Fury, it’s gonna be a massacre.”

AJ has adopted Usyk's brutal swimming regime in a bid to get back to his best, claiming he "loves a challenge".

But instead of a bout with Fury, his promoter Eddie Hearn is eyeing a rematch against Dillian Whyte, whom he beat in 2015 - or former champion Deontay Wilder.

As result, Arum believes AJ will not go for the Fury fight despite being offered a fair financial package.

Arum added: "I think that [the purse split] is pretty fair, right? I mean, Joshua’s not a champion anymore.

“But again, let’s not jump – I don’t believe that Fury against Joshua will happen this year because everything that I know about boxing, from Joshua’s standpoint, indicates that it won’t happen.”