Joshua signed to face his heavyweight rival on the condition the all-British blockbuster was held in the UK but Netflix want the fight moved to New York
Anthony Joshua is edging closer to agreeing terms to fight Tyson Fury in New York.
Joshua signed to face his heavyweight rival on the condition the all-British blockbuster was held in the UK. The former two-time world champion has admitted his legacy will be affected if the meeting is shipped overseas. But broadcasters Netflix – and the fight’s Saudi Arabian backers – insist the clash must be staged in the Big Apple.
They have pencilled in November 20 at Madison Square Garden despite Joshua’s protestations. His promoter Eddie Hearn has insisted no agreement has been reached to move the venue from London, telling Mirror Fighting: “We are in constant communication with Turki and SELA but as of yet there is no agreement to any variation within the contract.”
But Hearn has admitted a deal could be reached in the coming days. “We don’t want to change the venue or the host country,” he told About Boxing. “But if they’re that desperate, we will find a way to help. It’s been going for a month now and they haven’t changed their mind; there’s not even been a conversation about the UK.
“We are talking through a roadmap of what it might look like to change the deal. “If they do all the things we’ve discussed and agreed in principle, there is a very good chance the fight will take place in America. Its a ballache; it’s an arduous process we’re going through. There is a way that we would be, not happy, but comfortable with doing the fight in America.
“Right now there is absolutely no agreement to change the contract we signed. From our side, no announcement is imminent; everything has to be locked down if they want to do this.” Fury has no concern over the fight’s venue and took to social media to prematurely suggest a deal was done.
“I’ve got some big news going to be dropped very, very soon,” he said. There is a big fight on the horizon, it’s the one you’ve all been waiting for and it’s about to be announced imminently.”
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