EDDIE HEARN has given British boxing fans a glimmer of hope that Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury can at least have one fight on UK soil. The heavyweight champions have verbally agreed to a two-fight deal in 2021, though nothing has yet been signed. One key element surrounding the historic undisputed title decider is where […]
EDDIE HEARN has given British boxing fans a glimmer of hope that Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury can at least have one fight on UK soil.
The heavyweight champions have verbally agreed to a two-fight deal in 2021, though nothing has yet been signed.
One key element surrounding the historic undisputed title decider is where the mega-event will be hosted, with Hearn previously revealing the US and Middle East are financially greater options.
But the promoter insists he wants at least one part of the heavyweight double header to be in front of home fans.
Hearn told Sky Sports: “Everybody knows, including AJ and Fury, we would love this to take place in the UK.
“It’s two Brits fighting for the undisputed championship. But there is so much interest from around the world that I do believe one of these fights will take place outside of the UK.
“I’m happy to do one in the UK, one outside. But I’d be disappointed if we couldn’t do one in the UK.
“The fighters and their close teams will make a collective decision.
“While I want it in the UK, I just want the fight. I want to see AJ become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.”
Joshua, 30, dominated the British heavyweight scene with huge stadiums fights at Wembley and the Principality in Wales.
Hearn speculated England’s national stadium could even be extended to 100,000 fans to stage the “magical” match up.
He told The Standard this month: ““We could probably sell half a million tickets for this fight, so we need the biggest stadium possible —and only Wembley can do that.
“That would be the dream, to stage that fight at Wembley. You could get 100,000 in Wembley.
“It would be magical to bring this fight to the UK and London and we’ll do everything we can to do that.”
Last year Joshua took business on the road suffering a disastrous US debut in June losing his belts to Andy Ruiz Jr, 30, only to win them back six months later in Saudi Arabia.
There is so much interest from around the world that I do believe one of these fights will take place outside of the UK. I’m happy to do one in the UK, one outside. But I’d be disappointed if we couldn’t do one in the UK.
Eddie Hearn on Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury
During that time Fury built towards his rematch against Deontay Wilder, 34, and went on to dethrone the American of the WBC belt in February.
Providing he beats Wilder in their contracted third fight, and AJ gets past mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev, 39, their Battle of Britain moves a step closer.
Despite further pressure from Dillian Whyte, 32, who has been promised a shot at Fury’s title by 2021, and WBO mandatory Oleksandr Usyk, 33, Hearn is confident he can deliver the unification after talks with Bob Arum.
He said: “The bulk is done, the financial elements of the deal.
“There is always stuff that is out of our control, ie the fighters winning their next fights.
“[Fury’s US promoter Bob Arum and I] had a good chat [on Thursday]. We’re getting along alright.
“We have our words backwards and forwards but we both want to make the biggest fight of all time.
“He’s made many of them in the past and I want to make one that goes down in history as well.
“We’re all moving forwards. We talked about the site, the other elements of the deal and we agreed to move forwards by papering this. Dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. Get this boxed in for 2021.”
