Eddie Hearn insists Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua fight must stay in UK
Promoter Eddie Hearn has insisted the highly anticipated heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua must take place in the UK unless their legally binding contract is renegotiated.
Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh is reportedly keen to stage the fight later this year at a time that guarantees maximum global viewership.
This ambition has led to Madison Square Garden in New York emerging as a preferred alternative venue for the monumental showdown.
Alalshikh would require special exemption from Wembley Stadium’s strict curfews to host his proposed 2am UK start time in London.
Contractual obligations stand firm
However, Joshua’s camp remains adamant that the current paperwork specifically locks the blockbuster bout into a British location.
The two-time former world champion recently maintained his winning momentum with a swift second-round stoppage of Kristian Prenga.
That victory occurred just 24 hours after his heavyweight rival comfortably dealt with Mariusz Wach in Thailand, keeping their meeting firmly on track.
“There’s a reason we put contracts together,” Hearn stated following his fighter’s recent victory.
“We insisted that this fight was in the UK. I know that AJ will sometimes want to be a little bit of a peacekeeper, but the reality is he said to me, ‘I want the fight in the UK’.”
Preserving a domestic legacy
While acknowledging Alalshikh as a crucial partner in the boxing landscape, Hearn stressed that any venue change requires complete mutual agreement.
The Matchroom boss recognised the immense prestige of fighting at Madison Square Garden.
Despite that global appeal, he emphasised the generational importance of hosting this specific domestic rivalry on home soil.
Joshua himself believes that moving the long-awaited meeting abroad would significantly tarnish the legacy of both fighters.
The Olympic gold medallist confirmed that the national stadium was the sole location discussed when negotiations initially commenced.
“When these conversations started, there was no other venue or location that was ever mentioned,” Joshua explained.
“This is the road map. You fight, come back, fight, and then providing you’re victorious, you’ll be fighting Tyson Fury in the UK, basically Wembley.”