America set to stage blockbuster boxing bout between Joshua and Fury

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Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury’s long-awaited Battle of Britain showdown is set to be staged in the United States, with Madison Square Garden in New York emerging as the frontrunner to host the bout after Netflix steered negotiations away from the United Kingdom.

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Sports Illustrated reporter Chris Mannix said it was “almost certain” the fight would happen stateside, with the streaming giant targeting a Friday night date, a departure from the traditional Saturday slot for major British boxing events.

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Reports suggest November 20 is one date under consideration, chosen partly to avoid clashing with college football coverage in America.

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Both fighters returned to winning ways last month to keep the blockbuster clash alive, with Fury (37) stopping Mariusz Wach in Thailand, while Joshua (36) recovered from being floored twice in the opening round to knock out Kristian Prenga in Jeddah.

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The purse for the fight has been estimated at more than £100m.

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Promoter Eddie Hearn has previously insisted his contract with Joshua stipulates the bout must take place in the United Kingdom, but Saudi powerbroker Turki Alalshikh, a key figure in the negotiations, favours a United States venue in order to maximise the fight’s American television audience.

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“There has been some murmuring of the fight taking place in the US. The contract specifically states that the fight must take place in the UK,” Hearn had told BoxingScene.

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The prospect of a New York venue has drawn criticism from fans on both sides of the Atlantic, with many arguing the fight, more than a decade in the making, belongs at Wembley Stadium rather than in front of an American crowd unlikely to fill Madison Square Garden. Mannix, addressing the situation, said the decision amounted to a snub of British boxing supporters.2

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“It’s not complicated. It’s money. This is the biggest slap in the face of British boxing fans that you could possibly make,” Mannix said.

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Joshua’s former training partner, Richard Riakporhe, has meanwhile revealed that the two-time world champion has been preparing for a Fury fight on and off for five years, after previous attempts to arrange the bout twice collapsed.

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A concrete date and venue are yet to be officially confirmed, with discussions still ongoing between the promoters and broadcasters.

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