Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury set to fight in late-year heavyweight clash
British heavyweight rivals Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are finally set to face each other in the ring later this year following a decade of verbal sparring.
The monumental all-British bout is expected to take place in either October or November.
Wembley Stadium in north London has emerged as the frontrunner to host the showcase, although international venues remain a possibility.
Wembley favoured but overseas options remain
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn believes the UK is the most likely destination for the historic event.
“I think it [the UK] is probably the frontrunner but again at the end of the day both fighters are receiving a huge, huge amount of money and Turki Alalshikh is paying the bill,” Hearn told Sky Sports.
“He’s got to look at where that fight’s going to make sense. I think him as a fight fan would like the fight to take place in the UK but I wouldn’t rule out America, I wouldn’t rule out Saudi.”
A November date at the national stadium would need to be carefully scheduled around the England football team, who host Croatia in the Nations League on 12 November.
Dramatic returns to the ring
The ‘Gypsy King’ recently reversed his decision to retire, a choice he initially made following consecutive defeats against Oleksandr Usyk.
The 37-year-old marked his comeback last month with a comfortable points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Meanwhile, the former two-time world champion has been absent from the ring since securing a knockout victory over Jake Paul last December.
A planned February return was unfortunately delayed after the 36-year-old was involved in a car accident just days following that win.
Before focusing on his domestic rival, the Olympic gold medallist must first navigate a bout against Kristian Prenga on 25 July in Riyadh.
Global streaming and fighters’ mindset
In a significant broadcasting move, the highly anticipated contest will be streamed live globally on Netflix at no additional cost to existing subscribers.
Speaking ahead of his impending return, the Watford-born fighter expressed his determination to re-establish his dominance in the heavyweight division.
“It’s no secret I’ve taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back into the ring and this is the next step on that journey,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to competing and picking up where I left off. As I said, the landlord will collect his rent, that is certain.”