Tyson Fury has claimed his mega-fight with Anthony Joshua “doesn’t look like it’s going to happen” - as boxing finds new ways to torment its fans and test their patience over and over again.
The two defining fighters of a generation in British boxing were expected to finally meet in November but the two sides have so far failed to agree on where the bout would take place.
Despite both Joshua and Fury building their legacies in the UK, the most powerful figures at the fight’s broadcasting partner Netflix appear to be adamant that the fight is staged in the US.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn appears resigned to this eventuality, despite reiterating his desire for it to take place in the UK, with Fury responding by calling both men “money-thirsty”.
"Doesn't look like they're going to sign the fight and it doesn't look like it's going to happen all because Eddie Hearn and that want more money," Fury said in a video on Instagram on Friday.
When and where could the fight take place?
The date long since floated has been Friday, 20 November at Madison Square Garden, New York, though this is not confirmed. Hearn originally gave impression that the UK would host the fight, likely at Wembley Stadium, but potentially with ring walks in London in the early hours of the morning.
Why is there a delay in announcing the fight?
Well, even though both fighters have signed contracts to fight each other, the terms state that the fight must take place in the UK, according to Hearn. The Matchroom promoter is therefore seeking an addendum to the contract in exchange for agreeing to change the location, with additional compensation and requests required to satisfy Joshua’s camp.
“Everybody involved in the fight – not the fans, certainly not – wants the fight to take place at Madison Square Garden, apart from Anthony Joshua and Eddie Hearn, who have a clear contract that says the fight must take place in the UK,” Hearn told The Independent this month.
Enjoy 185+ fights a year on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing
Never miss a fight from top promoters. Watch on your devices anywhere, anytime.
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Enjoy 185+ fights a year on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing
Never miss a fight from top promoters. Watch on your devices anywhere, anytime.
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
“We wouldn’t have signed the contract that we signed if this fight was in America. And people just presume, ‘They’re gonna get paid more to go there;’ we don’t want the money, we’d rather it was in the UK.”
There is also a dispute with Zuffa Boxing, fronted by White, a rival of Hearn’s, with the pair clashing since moving into boxing, with a desire for the new outfit to promote the event and position him as the third person in many promotional shots with the two fighters.
How can this be resolved to confirm the fight will go ahead?
Hearn has been very clear, with the new requests sent to Saudi Arabia’s event management/entertainment company Sela. “We’re not asking for anything new, we’re just asking for our contractual obligations to be honoured,” Hearn told IFL TV on Thursday, adding that the changes merely concerned ticket requests, security, and transportation assurances.
Hearn said Joshua is pushing for more money, due to tax issues concerning the fight taking place in the United States. “By staging the fight in America, Joshua receives less money than if it took place in the UK,” Hearn said.
“From there, straight forward stuff, travel, accreditation, media schedule, nothing out of the ordinary, but yes, we expect payments to be met outstanding, we want things to be done correctly.”
Hearn also denied a separate dispute with Sela, over money concerning Matchroom’s darts and snooker events and projects, which was initially linked to the dispute over the Joshua v Fury fight.
Hearn also stated that he had not heard from Sela for “three or four days.”
What was Tyson Fury’s response?
Fury took to Instagram on Friday and called out both Joshua and Hearn in a series of expletive videos. He called both Joshua and Hearn “cowards” and accused them of being “money-thirsty” and Hearn a “bag carrier”.
"Quick update for you. It doesn't look like they are going to sign the fight and it doesn't look like it is going to happen all because [Joshua's promoter] Eddie Hearn and that want more money," Fury said.
"They have already had that much money off Turki (Alalshikh) over the last few years Eddie and AJ, they have had boxing deals, they have had darts deals, they have had snooker deals, they have had everything.
"And yet, they have got the audacity and cheek of flea-bitten rats to ask for more money from old Turki that you have had combined over the last couple of years. Keep on running you cowards."