Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury face contractual standoff over fight location
The highly anticipated heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury is entangled in a contentious contractual dispute regarding its venue, with Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn accusing Saudi organisers of breaching Joshua’s agreement by attempting to shift the fight from the United Kingdom to Madison Square Garden in New York, reports BritPanorama.
Both fighters have signed separate deals with Saudi-owned Sela, which initially specified a UK location for the bout. However, Sela and broadcasting partner Netflix are advocating for a move to the US to engage American audiences, complicating the arrangements that had been set.
This proposed relocation would materially affect the financial aspects of the fight, with Hearn arguing that varying tax obligations in the US would leave Joshua at a significant disadvantage compared to the original agreement. Consequently, negotiations have stagnated.
During a recent press conference, Hearn expressed his frustrations bluntly. “Imagine you get in a position, or you do a deal – the biggest deal of your life, the biggest moment of your career, and you’re told ‘here’s the money, you’re going to be based here, this is what you’ve gotta do, blah blah blah,'” he stated to IFL TV.
Critically, Hearn asserted that staging the fight in America would result in reduced earnings for Joshua. “In layman’s terms, by staging the fight in America, Anthony Joshua receives less money than he would do if the fight was in the UK where he was contractually agreed,” he revealed.
Hearn also levied accusations against the Saudi organisers for attempting to impose additional promotional conditions alongside the reduced payouts. He remarked, “If they want to breach the contract, that’s on them,” underscoring the severity of the situation.
The atmosphere surrounding the dispute has intensified due to the leak of private emails between Matchroom and the Saudi parties. These communications included confidential financial discussions unrelated to the Joshua-Fury fight, covering payments tied to other events such as the World Series of Darts and funding for a snooker academy.
In addition, the emails specified demands concerning outstanding purse money owed to Joshua from his previous victory over Kristian Prenga in July. Hearn contended that these documents were leaked to tarnish his fighter’s image and divert blame for the ongoing stalemate.
Fury responded to the situation with a direct social media attack, accusing both Joshua and Hearn of cowardice and indicating his willingness to seek alternative opponents. He expressed his disdain for the ongoing delays, insisting that the current impasse echoed previous unsuccessful attempts to make this fight happen.
Fury’s remarks come amid speculation regarding the involvement of Dana White, with Fury stating, “If Dana White wants to be involved, he can come in on my side,” contrary to Hearn’s perspective.
Meanwhile, Hearn reiterated the enforceability of the original contract, stating, “It can’t fall through, unless Sela and Saudi want to breach the contract and not stage a fight they’ve signed to stage.”
As discussions continue, Hearn confirmed that an addendum addressing the financial gap for a US event has been submitted to Sela, with a response expected, although it had not been received at the time of reporting.
Hearn affirmed that his team is prepared to proceed immediately if the original UK terms are upheld, with a potential date of 20 November now in jeopardy. As both fighters are nearing the later stages of their careers, the coming days are crucial for determining whether this marquee matchup, nearly a decade in the making, will come to fruition.
