Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury’s long-awaited heavyweight showdown is increasingly likely to take place at New York’s Madison Square Garden, with Netflix reportedly pushing for a United States venue instead of the United Kingdom.
According to Sports Illustrated reporter, it is “almost certain” the blockbuster contest will be staged in the US, with the streaming platform favouring a schedule rather than the traditional Saturday evening slot associated with major British boxing events.
The highly anticipated “Battle of Britain”, which has been discussed for more than a decade, could generate a purse exceeding £100m, making it one of the richest fights in boxing history.
Both former world champions revived hopes of the clash last month after returning to winning ways. Fury, 37, stopped Mariusz Wach in Thailand, while Joshua, 36, overcame two first-round knockdowns before knocking out Kristian Prenga in Jeddah.
However, the proposed move to the United States has raised questions after Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, previously said the contract requires the fight to be staged in Britain.
“There has been some murmuring of the fight taking place in the US. The contract specifically states that the fight must take place in the UK,” Hearn told BoxingScene.
Despite Hearn’s position, Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh, who is playing a central role in negotiations, is understood to favour an American venue to maximise the fight’s television audience.
The prospect of Madison Square Garden hosting the event has sparked criticism from many boxing fans, who believe a contest between Britain’s two biggest heavyweight stars should take place at Wembley Stadium.
Mannix described the reported decision as a disappointment for British supporters.
“It’s not complicated. It’s money. This is the biggest slap in the face of British boxing fans that you could possibly make,” he said.
Meanwhile, Joshua’s former training partner, Richard Riakporhe, said the two-time heavyweight champion has been preparing for a fight with Fury for years after previous attempts to make the contest twice collapsed.
No official date or venue has been announced, with negotiations between promoters, broadcasters and other stakeholders still ongoing.
