The highly anticipated heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury has encountered a fresh obstacle, with promoter Frank Warren warning that the fight could be delayed if both camps fail to resolve their disagreement over the venue.
Warren, who promotes Fury through Queensberry Promotions, remains hopeful that the much-anticipated “Battle of Britain” will take place in November, despite uncertainty surrounding where the bout will be staged.
Wembley Stadium was initially considered the leading option for the contest.
However, disagreements over the proposed start time have reportedly strengthened the case for Madison Square Garden in New York.
Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh is understood to prefer New York, with the American venue viewed as capable of attracting a broader international audience.
The latest development follows comments from Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, who previously warned that the fight could be cancelled if organisers announced New York as the venue without first reaching an agreement with Joshua’s camp.
Hearn maintained that Joshua remained committed to fighting in the United Kingdom under the terms of his existing contract.
He also cautioned that a unilateral decision to move the contest to New York could bring the entire event to an end.
Warren, however, disputed Hearn’s interpretation of the contractual situation, insisting that Fury’s agreement allowed for a different arrangement and that the fight remained possible.
“Tyson Fury has his agreement, which states something different. The fight will happen,” Warren said.
He added, “They’re either going to agree to it or not. If they don’t agree to it, then the fight won’t happen.”
According to Warren, Fury signed his agreement for the contest in January, when the bout was initially expected to take place in September before being postponed.
He explained that Fury’s proposed warm-up bout for September was cancelled following the tragic accident in which Joshua lost two close friends, disrupting preparations for the bigger showdown.
Despite the ongoing dispute, Warren said November remains the target for the fight, although an official venue has yet to be confirmed.
Both heavyweight stars have since returned to the ring in preparation.
Fury defeated Mariusz Wach in Thailand via seventh-round corner retirement, while Joshua survived a difficult opening round against Kristian Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after being knocked down twice before stopping his opponent in the second round.
With Hearn unwilling to accept a move to New York without an agreement and Warren insisting that the bout can proceed under Fury’s contractual terms, the two sides still have significant ground to cover.
The disagreement over the venue now represents a major threat to the November date for one of the most eagerly anticipated heavyweight contests in recent British boxing history.
