Eddie Hearn Confirms Joshua vs Fury Could Take Place in US Or Saudi Arabia
Eddie Hearn has confirmed he is unsure where the mega-fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury will be staged and hasn’t ruled out Saudi Arabia or America.
Long-term rivals Fury and Joshua have exchanged and signed contracts to finally fight this November, but the date and venue are yet to be finalised.
While it is clear that their long-awaited clash would fill any stadium in Britain, it could yet be taken abroad to either America or Saudi Arabia.
“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.
“We’ll be in the discussion, but at the end of the day, it is what it is.”
Wembley would be a fitting venue for the fight, the Principality Stadium in Cardiff has a retractable roof and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has held recent big fights involving both AJ and Fury.
“November is the date for Fury against AJ,” Hearn noted. “[Turki Alalshikh’s team] are putting a few thoughts in our minds about a potential venue and it is up to them. They’re paying the bill.
“I’m sure they’d love the fight to take place in the UK. Obviously, it is in November, it does limit you slightly but wherever that fight lands we’ll be ready.”
Joshua has a warm-up bout in Riyadh against Kristian Prenga on July 25, and Hearn also expects Fury to take a tune-up fight at the start of August.
“Everybody just presumes AJ will walk through Prenga, but he’s a decent fighter. He’s not an elite world class guy but he’s got 20 knockouts in 21 wins and he’s looking at it thinking: ‘Blimey, I chin Anthony Joshua, I’ve cracked it.’ So you’ve got to be switched on for it,” Hearn said.
“It’s two nail-biters back to back because you’ve got July 25 and then [potentially] August 1, but we’re just focused on Prenga and doing the job,” he added. “Then everyone will be ready.”
