The long-running saga surrounding a potential heavyweight blockbuster between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua has hit new friction over where the bout will take place. Both British heavyweights returned to the ring earlier in the year to keep active—Fury secured a seventh-round stoppage against Mariusz Wach following an April win over Arslanbek Makhmudov, while Joshua knocked out Kristian Prenga in the second round after an early scare. Yet, despite those victories clearing the path toward a potential November showdown, the location remains a major sticking point.
The Venue Battle and Contract Disagreements Behind the Heavyweight Clash
Saudi backers are pushing for the United States to host the event, with Madison Square Garden in New York emerging as the leading destination. That American preference aligns with Tyson Fury’s agreement to fight in America, according to promoter comments. However, Joshua and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, have maintained that the bout should be staged in the UK, pointing to a signed contract that requires the fight to happen on British soil. Hearn noted that there is no willingness to speak with UK officials such as Sadiq Khan or Transport for London, as the overseas partners remain adamant about bringing the contest to New York.
Eddie Hearn’s Legal Warning and TKO Group Involvement
During WWE Monday Night Raw, Netflix aired a trailer featuring footage from Joshua and Fury’s April confrontation, concluding with the words Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua – coming soon
without specifying a date or venue.
Hearn quickly pushed back against those promotional hints, maintaining that no agreement has been reached to alter the original UK contract. In an interview with About Boxing, Hearn expressed severe frustration with UFC head Dana White’s public statements regarding the promotion of the event.
“Actually, I should be suing Dana White, because what he’s doing is, he’s actually purporting to have the ability to stage the fight there, and he’s using my client to do a venue deal that he has no rights to.”
Eddie Hearn, Matchroom promoter, via Mmafighting
Hearn added that representatives from TKO have approached him to discuss potential involvement, marking a shift from earlier claims. Despite the friction, Hearn acknowledged that negotiations are ongoing regarding a roadmap to change the deal, noting that if they do all the things that we’ve discussed and agreed in principle, there remains a strong chance the fight will land in America.
Dana White Fires Back Over Delayed Negotiations
Dana White offered a blunt assessment of the stalled negotiations, questioning whether both fighters actually want the matchup to happen. Following an episode of the Contender Series, White dismissed Hearn’s threats and complaints entirely.
“I have not. I stopped listening to Eddie Hearn about three months ago. Is there anybody more full of shit than this guy? Come on. Completely full of shit.”
Dana White, UFC president, via Mmafighting
White previously stressed that to make a fight, two guys have to want to fight, expressing impatience with the complex web of contracts and financial discussions holding up the announcement. While Frank Warren has indicated that Fury is open to fighting at Madison Square Garden, the final realization of the November event depends entirely on whether Joshua’s team agrees to amend the contract’s UK stipulation.
