By Bilal Ahmed
Potential Venue for Joshua-Fury Bout
Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York is reportedly a preferred location for a potential fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. This preference comes from Saudi boxing figure Turki Al-Sheikh, WWE president and TKO board member Nick Khan, and streaming service Netflix. Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, confirmed on Friday that MSG has made a “decent offer” to host the heavyweight contest.
The aim for the fight’s timing, if held in New York, would be 10 PM U.S. Eastern Time, which would correspond to 3 AM in the UK. This scheduling is believed by Netflix to potentially draw a larger audience in the U.S. during prime time hours.
Contractual Disagreements and Financial Implications
Despite the interest in a U.S. venue, Hearn stated that Joshua’s current contract stipulates the fight must be held in the UK. He indicated that changing the venue would require a new agreement and discussions, as there are “quite a few bits in the contract that haven’t been adhered to.” Hearn specifically mentioned that the fight’s location constitutes a material breach if altered without agreement.
Hearn highlighted two main reasons for preferring a UK venue. Firstly, London is considered Joshua’s hometown, and there is a strong belief that he has significant support there. Secondly, the tax implications for both fighters would differ if the fight were to take place abroad, affecting their net earnings. While acknowledging the financial aspect, Hearn stressed that the principle and Joshua’s preference for fighting in the UK are primary concerns.
He drew a comparison, stating that if the previous agreement had been between Matchroom and Queensberry, a unilateral change of venue to another country would not have been accepted. However, with Turki Al-Sheikh as a partner, Hearn clarified that they are not suggesting the fight is off, but rather that the contract cannot be changed without discussion.
Joshua’s Reliability and Fury’s Doubts
Hearn also addressed recent comments from Tyson Fury regarding the potential for the all-British heavyweight fight not to happen. Hearn asserted that Anthony Joshua has a flawless record of fulfilling his fight commitments, contrasting this with Fury’s history of withdrawing from bouts. He pointed to Joshua’s professional attitude and consistent participation in signed fights.
Joshua is scheduled to fight Kristian Prenga on Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, while Fury is set to face Mariusz Wach. Both fights are seen as crucial warm-ups before the anticipated showdown between Joshua and Fury, which is expected to take place in November. Hearn expressed confidence in Joshua’s commitment, noting that Joshua previously signed to fight Fury, who later withdrew due to an arbitration ruling involving Deontay Wilder.
Hearn suggested that Fury’s recent remarks might be a tactic, describing Fury as the “king of mind games.” He believes that Fury aims to gain a psychological advantage before the fight. However, Hearn is confident that Joshua is mature enough to handle such tactics. The only scenarios that could prevent the fight from happening in November, according to Hearn, are a defeat or an injury to either boxer in their upcoming matches.
Joshua, in his press conference before facing Prenga, expressed his ambition to “conquer the earth and then the universe” but refrained from discussing Fury out of respect for his immediate opponent. He also stated that he would not be concerned if Fury were ringside for his bout. Hearn urged caution regarding Joshua’s fight against Prenga, despite some viewing it as a routine match, highlighting Prenga’s record of 20 professional victories by knockout.
Hearn emphasised the dangerous nature of heavyweight boxing, stating that Joshua must be disciplined and focused against Prenga, who is described as a “big, strong, heavy-handed, motivated fighter.”
Source: nytimes.com
