Anthony Joshua Vs Tyson Fury To Happen In New York
Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury’s long-awaited Battle of Britain could finally take place in the United States, with Madison Square Garden in New York emerging as the leading venue after Netflix...
Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury’s long-awaited Battle of Britain could finally take place in the United States, with Madison Square Garden in New York emerging as the leading venue after Netflix reportedly shifted negotiations away from the United Kingdom.
Sports Illustrated reporter Chris Mannix said it was “almost certain” the heavyweight showdown would be staged in the US, with the streaming giant favouring a Friday night event instead of the traditional Saturday schedule associated with major British boxing cards.
November 20 is among the dates being considered, partly to avoid a clash with college football broadcasts in America.
The fight is expected to generate a purse worth more than £100 million.
Both fighters revived hopes of the bout in July by returning to winning ways. Fury, 37, stopped Mariusz Wach in Thailand, while Joshua, 36, recovered after being knocked down twice in the opening round before stopping Kristian Prenga in Jeddah.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has maintained that Joshua’s contract requires the fight to be held in the United Kingdom. However, Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh, who has played a central role in the negotiations, is believed to favour an American venue to maximise the television audience.
“There has been some murmuring of the fight taking place in the US. The contract specifically states that the fight must take place in the UK,” Hearn had told BoxingScene.
The possibility of the fight leaving Britain has sparked criticism from supporters, many of whom believe a bout of this scale should be staged at Wembley Stadium rather than Madison Square Garden.
Mannix believes the move would be a major disappointment for British fans.
“It’s not complicated. It’s money. This is the biggest slap in the face of British boxing fans that you could possibly make,” Mannix said.
Joshua’s former training partner, Richard Riakporhe, has also revealed that the former world champion has spent the past five years preparing, on and off, for a showdown with Fury after two previous attempts to make the fight collapsed.
Negotiations remain ongoing and neither the date nor the venue has been officially confirmed.
