EDDIE HEARN’S fight to keep Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury in the UK could be OVER – after he sent over terms to change the contract to a US bout.
AJ’s initial signed deal stated the Battle of Britain HAD to be kept on home soil.
Eddie Hearn admits his fight to keep Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury in the UK could be over Credit: Reuters
Organisers want Fury to fight AJ in America Credit: Reuters
But organisers including Netflix and Saudi fight financier Turki Alalshikh prefer a Stateside clash to capitalise on a greater American viewing audience.
Promoter Hearn has publicly pleaded to keep the fight in the UK.
Sign up for the Sport newsletter
Thank you!
But in the last few days he has sent over contract revisions which would allow the bout to reluctantly move Stateside.
And if those terms are accepted – including a bigger purse to cover Joshua’s tax deficit – Hearn could finally concede defeat in his battle to keep the all-Brit fight in the UK.
HAMMERED
Liddard puts West Ham misery behind him and calls for London derby against champ
CRACKER
Win stunning £565k 5-Bedroom Luxury Home & Audi for just £1.79 with our code
He told JattvibeSport: “We sent the addendum a couple of days ago. We had a phone call tonight saying a response is incoming.
“But as we sit here, nothing yet. So I’m sure they’ll come back with their comments, and listen, hopefully we can move forward.
“But we don’t really want to move forward with an American fight. Now, will we? Maybe. But we’d rather not.
“If they can accept what we put forward and everything can be wrapped up, and they really want to do it (in America) we’re going to be having that conversation.”
BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS
The Home of Boxing in 2026
There’s a massive year of boxing ahead!
It’s shaping up to be a blockbuster year of action inside the boxing ring.
The Gypsy King has beaten Mariusz Wach in his second fight of the year to set up a huge fight with Anthony Joshua
And AJ did the same, knocking out Kristian Prenga in the second round of a thrilling encounter – the Brit was knocked down twice in the opening round.
Now fans are looking forward to Moses Itauma’s return for his toughest fight yet against Filip Hrgovic in August.
Here’s all the big fights coming up…
August
Sat 29 – Moses Itauma vs Filip Hrgovic – DAZN
September
Sat 12 – Conor Benn vs Ryan Garcia – DAZN
*If you click a link in this boxout, we will earn affiliate revenue.
Joshua, 36, comes into the fight of his life having picked himself up off the canvas twice against little-known Albanian Krstian Prenga, 35, in July.
He turned it around in round two to KO Prenga – but Hearn is adamant they do not want another warm-up bout.
Fury, 38, was also in action just a day before AJ when he stopped Mariusz Wach, 46, in seven rounds in Thailand before calling out AJ.
The fight now threatens to delay until December as talks rumble on.
But Hearn hopes the public outcry to get the bout in the UK could convince Netflix & Co to change their mind.
Hearn passionatly said: “Just understand one thing. A contract’s a contract.
Fury and Joshua pictured clashing at Wembley Credit: Getty Images
“We never breach a contract. Once you do that deal, you deliver on your promises.
“What was promised and what was delivered, or should be delivered, is a fight in the UK against Tyson Fury in November/December. Just phone us and tell us the date. We’re there.
“And that that is so frustrating because I feel now with all the hype about this venue over the last couple of weeks, can you imagine now if Turki Alalshikh and Netflix come out and said the fight is going to be at Wembley Stadium on November 21st?
“The country would go nuts. Imagine. Imagine the demand for that event.
“Imagine the moment where a hundred thousand people are in the national stadium for Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury to meet in the ring.
“This is where the fight should be taking place. I get Netflix want this, Turki Alalshikh wants this, whatever, and they’re paying the money, and that’s why we’re even having the conversation.
“But this is going on and on and on and we’re running out of time. And all you have to do is phone us tomorrow and tell us it’s on at Wembley and we can announce the fight.
“We can bring these two face to face. So we ain’t ducking out of nothing. The only way the fight doesn’t happen is if they breach the contract.
“Look, we’re running out of time. Well, we’re not running out of time because we’re ready.
“I mean, AJ’s already, you know, in a big part of his recovery from the last fight and he’s ready to go back into camp.
“But there’s a lot of stuff being asked of us beyond the contract in terms of media obligations.
“So we can’t start disrupting camp too much, and I think this week’s really the crunch week.
“I’m kind of hoping that because of the silence from everybody, these guys just come back and tell us we’re doing it in the UK.
“In which case, we can do the press conference virtually immediately because we’re all in.”
