ANTHONY JOSHUA and Tyson Fury have signed a two-fight deal to contest the undisputed heavyweight crown this summer, according to Eddie Hearn, who promotes Joshua. He told ESPN that the financial deal has been agreed. The next stage will be for all parties to agree on the site and location of the bout, so hurdles do still remain, but this should be a key step forward in the making of the superfight.
Previously Hearn explained, โThe process was always going to be getting everybody signed, getting everyone involved with this deal to sign on the dotted line. That has been actually a process thatโs taken probably two or three weeks longer than we expected.
โWe know weโve got to go out and complete the site deal but thatโs quite a big statement from both guys to put pen to paper.โ
Negotiations will be taking place with six or seven possible sites for a fight that would unify the WBC title that Fury holds with Joshuaโs WBO, WBA and IBF titles, all four of the major heavyweight belts in world boxing.
โBoth fighters and parties as well, promoters, need to be happy with the deal thatโs in place, the financial deal and the site deal,โ Hearn had told reporters. โWe all have to agree to where the fight will take place and what the deal is. But ultimately we didnโt want to start going through the process of this until everybody had signed an agreement in terms of the deal and moving forward.
โNow itโs our job collectively with the two teams to go out and present the options and the sites to the fighters for them to agree which one to take.
โThere will be at least half a dozen offers to stage this fight which we will have to present to our client, and Top Rank will have to present to their client to say these are the options, which one would you like to move forward with.
โEverybodyโs going to go now and look for the biggest site deal, together as a team and then present them to the fighters. Thereโs no fight financially that will come close to this for both guys. Already the offers that weโve had are considerable so I donโt see an issue with that.โ
Saudi Arabia, which controversially staged Joshuaโs rematch with Andy Ruiz in 2019, will be among the bidders for this fight. โSaudi are one of only six or seven now, who weโve whittled down to continue those talks with. I think that Saudi is a definite possibility but there are a number of other conversations to have as well,โ Hearn said.
As well as the location, the broadcaster is unconfirmed but Hearn can see both BT Sport and Sky Sports Box Office agreeing to a dual airing pf the fight in the UK. The date too must be established, with it likely to take place in late June or early summer.
โLetโs focus on what weโve all agreed to,โ Hearn said, โwhich is the biggest fight in boxing.โ