Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has urged promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren to stage the long-awaited showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in London.
The plea from Khan comes amid speculation that the clash between the British boxers could take place at Madison Square Garden in New York, with Saudi organizers Sela favoring a venue in the United States.
While Joshua's side has maintained a desire for the fight to occur in the United Kingdom, Fury questioned the delay in agreeing final terms on social media earlier this week, calling Joshua a "coward" and claiming he would fight anywhere. Fury's promoter, Frank Warren, asserted that Fury has already signed his side of the deal.
Venue debate and financial temptation
Speaking to Sky Sports News, Khan acknowledged the financial appeal of hosting the bout in America but insisted that British supporters deserve to see the contest in the United Kingdom.
"I understand the temptation of going to Madison Square Gardens," Khan said. "I understand the temptation of the money and offer, but the fans are here. We've been loyal to Tyson and to Anthony. We love them both, and we'd love to see them boxing here in London."
Khan urged the organizers to satisfy the wishes of the fighters themselves. "I'm positive Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua know how much we love both of them. I'm not sure how much the promoters know how much we love both of them, but my message to the promoters is why don't you do what Tyson and Anthony want, which is get the fight in London," he said.
The mayor expressed confidence in London's capacity to draw a massive crowd for the event. "We'll get 100,000 people watching them live, plus millions watching across the globe fighting amongst the fans who've loved them from the beginning," Khan said.
City Hall outreach and promoter contact
Khan revealed that Matchroom chairman Eddie Hearn had directly approached him for assistance with organizing the fight in the capital. "Eddie Hearn has approached us and we're keen to work with Eddie and the team," Khan confirmed, adding that city officials have reached out to key figures to offer support.
"We've hosted some of the biggest boxing events in history in London during my mayoralty," Khan said. "Many British fans are fans of Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Many Londoners love both Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Both Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua recognise the importance of British boxing fans. The promoters know we're here to help. We've approached those in the know to say we're here to help."
Fighter backgrounds and next steps
Khan has served as Mayor of London since May 2016, during which the city has hosted major championship fights at venues including Wembley Stadium. Fury, a former WBC heavyweight champion, and Joshua, a two-time former unified heavyweight world champion and 2012 Olympic gold medallist, represent two of the biggest names in modern boxing. Hearn leads Matchroom Boxing, while Warren represents Queensberry Boxing.
Sky Sports has approached Queensberry Boxing and Matchroom Promotions for comment on Khan's remarks and the status of negotiations.
