Mike Tyson calls for Joshua vs Fury showdown on home soil
Mike Tyson has dismissed proposals to stage the long-anticipated heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury across the Atlantic, insisting the all-British affair belongs on home soil, reports BritPanorama.
The 60-year-old boxing legend, who has a criminal record that prevents him from entering the United States, expressed his sentiments during an interview with the Daily Mail. He stated, “It’s going to be a great fight, it’s going to be great for boxing even though I can’t go I’m barred from London I think London should get the fight.”
Both heavyweights are reported to have signed contracts for a bout scheduled for 20 November at New York’s Madison Square Garden. However, the announcement of this venue sparked considerable backlash from fans, who had hoped for the fight to take place in the UK.
This discontent grew further when Fury took to Instagram to air grievances about the match’s viability. The 38-year-old vehemently criticized Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, attributing the potential failure of the fight to financial demands. “Doesn’t look like they’re going to sign the fight, doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. All because Eddie Hearn and that want more money,” Fury stated.
Fury’s outburst included accusations directed at Joshua and Hearn for negotiating additional funds from Saudi Arabian backer Turki, despite already having significant financial support from various sources. He remarked, “They’ve had boxing deals, darts deals, snooker deals, they’ve had everything,” labeling them as “disgusting, money-thirsty pieces of s***.”
During a promotional event in Times Square, Tyson drew on his previous experiences to support his assertion regarding the fight’s location. He reminisced about facing Frank Bruno, noting that British fans dominated the arena even when the bout occurred in Las Vegas. “There ain’t going to be many Americans there because they’ll sell it out,” he observed.
Tyson articulated a straightforward logic for holding the match in the UK, emphasizing that since the majority of ticket-buyers would be British, staging the fight in New York was impractical. “They’re both English and if they come here, all the English people are going to come anyway. So you’re home already, let’s do it there!” he argued.
As the preparations for this potential showdown continue, the fighters arrive with significantly different circumstances. Fury has only fought twice since suffering back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024. After a brief retirement, he managed wins against Arslanbek Makhmudov and Mariusz Wach. In contrast, Joshua’s path back to the ring has been more tumultuous, returning from a car accident that tragically claimed the lives of two close friends.
In his last bout against Kristian Prenga, Joshua was briefly knocked down but showcased resilience by recovering to secure a victory. Tyson praised this display of tenacity, stating, “The guy dropped him, he got back up and he clocked the guy. That was very exciting.”
Despite the current uncertainty around the bout, Tyson remains optimistic it will ultimately come to fruition, expressing confidence in both fighters’ motivation to make the match happen. “I think they both still have enough in them once they get the desire,” he said.
Adding to the dramatic backdrop, promoter Hearn revealed that Joshua’s contract includes a stipulation for the fight to be held in Britain. The alignment of this clause with the reported agreement for Madison Square Garden is yet to be clarified.
For British boxing supporters, staging the biggest domestic heavyweight encounter in a generation on home soil seems to be an irrefutable case. Tyson’s own reflections underline how, regardless of the venue, the atmosphere would be overwhelmingly British, amplifying the argument for delivering the fight in their own backyard.
As this boxing drama unfolds, the echoes of a nation’s desire for its champions to shine on home turf resonate loudly, reminding us all how deeply sport can intertwine with national pride.
