Boxing promoter Frank Warren has predicted that the long-awaited heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will go ahead in 2026 in America, despite claims from Fury that the bout was in "serious doubt."
Talks are ongoing over a possible blockbuster clash between the two British former world champions in early November. Everything seemed to be in place for the pair to meet in London, but Saudi organisers Sela's desire to hold the event in the United States instead has created a hold-up.
Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn has been pushing to keep the fight in London, which led Fury to claim last week that the contest was in "serious doubt" because his rival was asking for "more money."
Fury and Joshua are both former world heavyweight champions and among the most prominent British boxers of their generation, though the pair have never fought each other. Turki Al-Alsheikh is the Saudi Arabian official who has overseen many of boxing's biggest recent events, while Wembley Stadium is England's national stadium in London.
Warren: 'I genuinely think it will happen'
Warren, who promotes Fury, told Sky Sports News that he believed the fight would go ahead and that Fury would also have preferred it to take place in the UK.
"I genuinely think it will happen. His Excellency, Turki Al-Alsheikh, he will announce that fairly soon," Warren said. "I know there's been some issues with contracts with Matchroom and AJ; I believe they will iron all those out."
Warren added that Fury had already left the UK to prepare for the bout. "In the meantime, Tyson has flown off to the States, he's in Miami and he's preparing for the fight," he said.
Eddie Hearn claimed that Joshua feels a responsibility to UK fight fans that his fight against Fury should happen in Britain.
Warren said the location of the fight was no longer in the fighters' hands. "I think they both want the fight at Wembley, but it's out of their hands now. That's not quite right, actually, they could refuse to fight. We don't get the fight we want to see," he said. "I think because of the amount of money involved, I hope I'm wrong, but I think it will go on in America."
'Nothing unusual' for all-British clash to take place abroad
Warren said a Fury-Joshua fight being held outside the UK would be "nothing unusual" in the history of boxing.
"You had two massive American heroes in Muhammad Ali and George Foreman," Warren said. "Two American fighters, all the Americans wanted to see it, Vegas wanted to put the fight on, Madison Square Garden wanted to see it, and it went off to Zaire."
Warren was referring to the 1974 meeting between Ali and Foreman in Zaire, remembered as the "Rumble in the Jungle" and widely regarded as one of the most famous fights in boxing history.
"Everybody thought: 'What on earth was that all about?' But it became not just an iconic fight and an iconic moment in sport," Warren said.
He pointed to other examples of major fights staged overseas. "Ali had the 'Thrilla in Manila' with Joe Frazier. Joe Bugner fought Ali in Kuala Lumpur, it's nothing unusual," he said.
Warren compared the situation to David Beckham's move abroad late in his football career. "I think it's like all sportsmen, say, for example, David Beckham, he went off and played at the end of his career, and he did that because of the money," Warren said. "And that's why these guys are doing this, they are professional boxers."
"Would I like to see it at Wembley? Would all the fans like to see it at Wembley? Of course they would. But they are in the hands of another broadcaster who wants the fight in America," he added.
