Eddie Hearn has vowed to fight to keep Anthony Joshua’s blockbuster showdown with Tyson Fury on British soil as plans gather pace to take the heavyweight clash to New York.
Joshua and Fury have finally signed contracts to settle their long-running rivalry, but a battle is now developing behind the scenes over where one of the biggest fights in British boxing history will be staged.
Madison Square Garden has emerged as a frontrunner, with organisers believed to favour America in order to capitalise on a primetime US audience.
But Hearn is determined to prevent Joshua against Fury being taken away from British fans – and has revealed AJ specifically demanded a clause guaranteeing the contest would take place in the UK.
Netflix and Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh are among those Hearn claims favour New York, while Fury also appears receptive to the proposal.
That has left Hearn and Joshua fighting Britain’s corner.
“I’ve seen all the reports, November 20, Madison Square Garden,” the 47-year-old told talkSPORT.
“I kind of feel like right now, me and AJ are the last two standing on the hill waving the Union Jack.
Eddie Hearn has vowed to fight to keep Anthony Joshua’s blockbuster showdown with Tyson Fury on British soil as plans gather pace to take the heavyweight clash to New York
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GETTY
“I mean, Anthony Joshua made me insert a clause into the contract that said the fight must happen in the UK.
“So at the moment, it can’t happen anywhere else. Now, we’re under a lot of pressure.”
Joshua’s contractual protection means his existing terms would have to be changed before the fight could be moved across the Atlantic.
And Hearn has warned those pushing for America that he intends to make altering the agreement an extremely expensive proposition.
Eddie Hearn is determined to prevent Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury being taken away from British fans
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GETTY
“Turki Alalshikh, Netflix. Sounds like Tyson Fury. It sounds like everybody’s agreed they want to do this fight at Madison Square Garden,” he continued.
“We don’t. I mean, we want to make it so financially unviable for them to change the contract that they’ve got no choice but to do it in the UK.”
Hearn questioned why Joshua should surrender a condition that was important enough to negotiate before signing.
“I honestly don’t know how it’s going to play out. All I can tell you is I can assure you that myself and Anthony are saying it just doesn’t make sense,” he said.
“Like, we wouldn’t have signed this contract under its terms if this said the fight was in America. So, why should we change it now?”
The prospect of Joshua and Fury finally sharing a ring has tantalised British boxing fans for years, with previous attempts to arrange the heavyweight showdown repeatedly falling apart.
Tyson Fury, 37, stopped veteran Mariusz Wach inside seven rounds during his recent warm-up contest in Thailand
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Both former world champions have now successfully navigated their latest assignments ahead of the anticipated super-fight.
Fury, 37, stopped veteran Mariusz Wach inside seven rounds during his warm-up contest in Thailand.
Joshua returned 24 hours later in Jeddah, where the 36-year-old survived being knocked down before recovering to stop Kristian Prenga.
Who ends up winning the venue war remains to be seen.
