British heavyweights Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have signed contracts to fight at Madison Square Garden in New York City on November 20.
The agreement brings an end to years of negotiations over the biggest all-British heavyweight bout of the modern era, with both fighters agreeing terms for the contest abroad.
Fury took to social media on Tuesday morning to tease the announcement, telling his followers that the fight was on the verge of being publicised.
"Big news being dropped very, very soon. A big fight on the horizon. It's the one you've all been waiting for. It's about to be announced imminently so stay tuned!" Fury said.
Daily Mail Sport understands that final details were thrashed out at a meeting earlier this week, with the fight venue standing as the main outstanding issue during discussions.
Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn, who leads Matchroom Boxing, had continued pushing for the contest to take place in the United Kingdom. Fury was also keen on a UK homecoming event, with Wembley Stadium in London often considered the premier home venue for British boxing spectacles.
However, neither fighter wanted venue negotiations to jeopardise the bout itself. According to those familiar with the discussions, Saudi adviser Turki Alalshikh, who is helping bankroll the fight, took the position that if the UK could make financial sense and the figures could be demonstrated, the fight could be staged there.
Ultimately, the financial case for hosting the event in Britain could not be made. That led organizers to take the fight to New York and the iconic Madison Square Garden, the famed indoor arena in Manhattan where Joshua previously suffered a shock defeat against Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019.
Schedule and announcement plans
The fight is expected to take place on a Friday night to avoid clashing with major American sporting events such as National Football League games and to maximize exposure across the United States. It is not yet known whether the main event will take place at a time convenient for UK boxing fans.
The final pieces are now being put in place for the official announcement. Relevant parties are meeting in the coming days to organise the launch press conference, which is expected to take place before the end of August.
Plans are being established for the official launch announcement to take place at an iconic British landmark at the start of next week.
Spencer Brown, Fury's manager, said several weeks ago that the announcement at a landmark site would be "like no announcement" fans have ever seen before, adding that supporters "don't want to miss it."
Hearn also previously told Daily Mail Sport that the announcement press conference would take place before the end of the month and would be timed around Joshua's return from holiday.
Recent bouts in the ring
Both fighters were recently active in the ring ahead of finalizing their long-awaited contract.
Joshua defeated Kristian Prenga on July 25, having his hand raised after overcoming early trouble in the contest.
The victory did not come without drama, as Joshua was knocked down in the first 20 seconds of the opening round before controlling the remainder of the fight.
Fury fought Polish heavyweight Mariusz Wach at the Max Muay Thai Stadium in Pattaya, Thailand, on July 24.
Fury emerged victorious from the contest and had been expected ringside for Joshua's fight against Prenga the following day.
A decade of failed negotiations
The roots of a Joshua and Fury rivalry go back to the beginning of the 2010s, when both men were establishing themselves as Britain's leading heavyweight prospects.
Joshua won super-heavyweight Olympic gold at the London 2012 Games before turning professional. Fury had already made his professional debut in 2008 and was building an unbeaten record of his own.
For years, the prospect of the two meeting was one of British boxing's biggest talking points. Fury's victory over long-reigning Ukrainian champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 transformed him into a world heavyweight champion.
Joshua rapidly moved towards the same position, winning the International Boxing Federation heavyweight title by beating Charles Martin in 2016 and subsequently adding the World Boxing Association and International Boxing Organization belts.
By 2017, the possibility of an undisputed Joshua and Fury fight had become a genuine objective rather than simply a dream matchup for combat sports fans.
However, negotiations repeatedly failed over the following years. The biggest opportunity came in 2021, when Joshua and Fury appeared to be moving towards a two-fight agreement.
A deal was publicly discussed, but the proposed fight ultimately collapsed after Fury became obligated to face American heavyweight Deontay Wilder following an arbitration ruling. Fury subsequently fought Wilder for a third time in their championship trilogy.
Joshua then moved towards his own defining bouts, but suffered back-to-back defeats against Ukrainian fighter Oleksandr Usyk. Joshua lost his WBA, IBF and World Boxing Organization titles in 2021 before being beaten again in their 2022 rematch.
The sport appeared to get another opportunity to make Joshua and Fury in late 2022. Negotiations accelerated dramatically, with both camps discussing a proposed fight in December, but a deal again failed to materialise.
Fury instead moved on to other opponents, while Joshua continued his rebuilding process following the Usyk defeats.
The arrival of Alalshikh and the expansion of major boxing events in Saudi Arabia created a new route to making the fight. Now, after years of failed negotiations and multiple points at which the fight appeared close before falling apart, the contracts have finally been signed.
Joshua and Fury is no longer a fight being negotiated. It is happening on November 20 at Madison Square Garden.
