Boxing Match Between Joshua and Fury Encounters Unexpected Setback

The highly anticipated showdown between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury has hit a new roadblock, as promoter Frank Warren concedes that the bout may be delayed unless the two camps can come to an agreement on the venue, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.

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Warren, who promotes Fury under the Queensberry banner, remains optimistic that the Battle of Britain will proceed as planned in November, despite ongoing uncertainty surrounding the location of the fight.

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Initially, Wembley Stadium was the top contender to host the bout, but a dispute over the proposed start time has shifted the focus to Madison Square Garden in New York, with Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh reportedly favoring the American venue due to its potential to reach a broader global audience.

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This development comes just days after Eddie Hearn, Joshua's promoter, stated that he would cancel the fight if organizers were to announce New York as the venue without first securing an agreement to move the bout from the United Kingdom.

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Hearn emphasized that he and Joshua are committed to staging the fight in the UK, as per their existing contract, and warned that any unilateral announcement of a New York venue would lead to the cancellation of the bout.

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In response to Hearn's comments, Warren told Box Nation that Fury's contractual position differs from the account provided by Hearn's camp, and asserted that the fight remains on track despite the disagreement.

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Warren noted that Fury signed for the contest in January, when the bout was initially scheduled for September before being postponed, and that a planned warm-up fight was scrapped due to a serious accident that affected Joshua's preparations.

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Warren stated that November remains the target date for the fight, with the venue still to be confirmed, and highlighted that both fighters have recently returned to action in tune-up fights.

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Fury defeated Mariusz Wach in a low-key contest in Thailand, winning by seventh-round corner retirement, while Joshua overcame a tough start against Kristian Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, recovering from being floored twice in the opening round to stop his opponent in the second.

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The two promoters, Hearn and Warren, remain far from resolving the issue that now threatens to delay one of the biggest fights in British boxing in years, with Hearn insisting that Joshua's camp would rather make a move to New York financially unattractive to organizers than accept the switch.

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Warren, on the other hand, maintains that Fury's side sees the fight proceeding regardless of the venue, leaving the two camps at an impasse.