ANTHONY JOSHUA can press ahead with his mega-money Tyson Fury bout after receiving the readies for his last fight.
Joshua, 36, and Fury, 38, both have signed contracts for a clash this year – but AJ’s deal states the bout MUST take place in the UK.
Though organisers including Netflix and Saudi boxing financier Turki Alalshikh want a Stateside clash to capitalise on prime-time US viewing.
It has left Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn negotiating revisions to their contract to allow for a fight in America.
Meanwhile in the background, AJ was awaiting the final payment for his July 25 win over Kristian Prenga in Jeddah.
Hearn was forced to deny there was a hold-up in talks because he was holding out for Saudi funding for his others sports businesses like darts and snooker.
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Instead, he confirmed Joshua has now been paid in full which has allowed talks over the Fury fight to progress.
Hearn said: “Yeah, we’re all good from the last fight and we’re all moving forward amicably.
“We don’t want to do the fight in the US, but we also understand it has to work for everybody.
“And at the same time we’re basically being told “we only want to do the fight in the US” – which we don’t agree with, we don’t understand – but we’ve been banging our head against the wall on that for the last two months.
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The Home of Boxing in 2026
There’s a massive year of boxing ahead!
It has already been a blockbuster year inside the ring, and it is not going to stop anytime soon!
All eyes are focused on when Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury will get in the ring, with the pair due to finally settle their decade-long rivalry.
Katie Taylor calls time on her illustrious career this weekend at Croke Park as she faces Flora Pili, with the chance to become a three-time undisputed champion.
Conor Benn fights for his first world title one week later against Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas – it is The Destroyer’s second bout for Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing.
October’s action doesn’t stop either, with Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois facing off in the rematch of their thrilling fight in May, while Canelo Alvarez returns against Christian Mbili on Halloween.
Here’s all the big fights coming up…
September
- Sat 5 – Katie Taylor vs Flora Pili – DAZN
- Sat 12 – Conor Benn vs Ryan Garcia – DAZN
- Sep 12 – Jai Opetaia vs Noel Mikaelian
- Sat 19 – Isaac Cruz vs Nestor Bravo – DAZN
October
- Sat 3 – Ben Whittaker vs Conor Wallace – DAZN
- Sat 17 – Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2 – DAZN
- Sat 31 – Canelo Alvarez vs Christian Mbili – DAZN
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“So like I said, we’ve set out our position, mainly in concern to the tax situation that will deplete his net purse by going to America, which can be rectified and I think they’re happy to do that.
“Everything else is, there’s no abnormal requests. It’s up to them. There’s nothing else to discuss.”
“There’s nothing, there’s not one of those terms that was mentioned in the ‘leaked’ email that that is in the addendum.
“They’re all stuff related to the fight. If they want it there they’ll sign it. If not, we’ll be very happy and we’ll do it in the UK.”
After a period of worrying silence, Hearn has revealed their terms to change the fight to America was received three days ago.
He said: “We will need to make a decision this week. They’ve replied, they have our terms. It’s up to them.
“We don’t want to do the fight in the US. But if they really want it in the US, these are our terms.”
“There’s nothing unreasonable in there, to be honest with you.”
New York’s Madison Square Garden in just two months’ time is the current target date – and Hearn admits they must now get a move on.
He said: “There’s communication. We’re speaking multiple times a day, but we’re running out of time.
“I mean if you wanna do the fight on November 20th and they’re talking of a press conference next week, it’s Tuesday! Do you know what I mean?
“But the ball’s in their court.”
Hearn – who says all sides are “desperate” to announce the bout THIS WEEK – still hopes for the fight to land in London but expects it to head to the Big Apple.
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He said: “Our dream and our hope is they just turn around and go, ‘This is too messy, we’ll just do it in Wembley’”
“But they’re adamant that they want to fight in America.”