Anthony Joshua has still not signed his contract to fight Tyson Fury in a high-profile Battle of Britain showdown, promoter Frank Warren has revealed.
Time is running out to finalize what has become boxing's longest-hatching deal, with Warren warning that the contest between the two British heavyweights remains in serious jeopardy.
Warren, who promotes Fury, stated that the undefeated heavyweight has already signed his contract. "AJ hasn't signed yet," Warren said. "Tyson signed in January. He's training in Miami for the fight in early November and doesn't care where it takes place."
Joshua is a former two-time unified world heavyweight champion, while Fury holds a world heavyweight title. Warren is a veteran British boxing promoter who heads Queensberry Promotions.
Venue Disagreement and Broadcast Demands
The original agreement stipulated that the fight would take place in England, putting London's Wembley Stadium on alert to host the contest.
However, broadcast mega-paymasters Netflix have joined their Saudi partners in insisting on New York's fabled Madison Square Garden instead so as to maximize revenue in the United States.
Madison Square Garden in New York City is among the world's most famous combat sports venues, while Wembley Stadium is England's 90,000-seat national stadium. Netflix is a global streaming service that has expanded into broadcasting live sports.
Imminent Deadlines and Personal Doubts
Joshua will need at least a two-month training camp for a fight of this magnitude, with nine to ten weeks considered ideal. That timeline leaves little margin for delay if the proposed early November date is to be kept.
It comes after Joshua was given 10 days to agree a deal on August 26, seven days ago. Warren previously suggested that the deal had to be finalized by this weekend, warning: "Unless AJ commits by the end of next week I'm afraid this will slip away like so many of those great fights which never happened."
Warren urged all parties to prioritize securing the clash rather than focusing on financial negotiations. "At some point everyone has to say the most important thing is that it happens. Not this bulls*** about money," Warren said.
The promoter also questioned whether Joshua retains the desire for the bout. "That everyone wants the fight. Does AJ really want it? I don't know," Warren added. "He's been through that tragedy of the car crash which killed two of his closest friends. Only he knows what he wants."
