Tyson Fury is currently in a holding pattern as he awaits Anthony Joshua to finalize his contract for what promises to be a blockbuster all-British heavyweight clash. Promoter Frank Warren has confirmed that Joshua has not yet signed, leaving fans eager for an official announcement regarding the highly anticipated bout.
On social media, Fury hinted that confirmation of the fight could be imminent, sharing a digitally altered image of himself and Joshua with the caption “New York City.” This has fueled speculation that the fight might take place at the iconic Madison Square Garden, a venue favored by Saudi state-owned promotional company Sela and Turki Alalshikh. However, Joshua's camp is advocating for Wembley Stadium, which would provide the advantage of a home crowd for the British superstar.
Despite the ongoing discussions about the venue, Warren stated that the location is no longer a concern for Fury. He emphasized that the heavyweight champion has already signed a contract that is independent of where the fight will occur. “Tyson's signed. Tyson's done. He doesn't care when the fight takes place,” Warren noted, indicating that Fury is ready to compete regardless of whether the event is held in New York, Barbados, or elsewhere.
Warren further elaborated on the situation, explaining that Joshua's delay in signing is not a matter of urgency from his perspective. “It's not for me to give him [a deadline], it’s the people who are paying the money,” he said. He acknowledged that the contracts involved need some amendments, which has contributed to the delay.
Fury's commitment to the fight dates back to earlier this year when he signed on for the matchup in January. Initially, the two fighters were slated to meet in September, but a tragic car accident in December that claimed the lives of two of Joshua's close friends necessitated a postponement. Both fighters have since returned to the ring, with Fury winning a decision against Arslanbek Makhmudov in April and stopping Mariusz Wach in Thailand in July. Meanwhile, Joshua faced a challenging bout against Kristian Prenga but managed to secure a victory.
“He signed for the fight in January,” Warren reiterated. “The fight was supposed to take place in September, but what happened with AJ and his accident, that all got pushed back.” The timeline for the fight has since shifted, with plans now targeting a November date. However, Warren highlighted the complexity of the contracts, noting that differing venues have been proposed in various agreements. He concluded, “I don’t do the contracts,” underscoring the intricate negotiations involved in finalizing the fight.
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