The long-awaited heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury could finally become reality very soon. Reports suggest Joshua may sign his part of the agreement as early as next week. This comes after Fury ended his brief retirement and returned to the ring with a dominant win over Arslanbek Makhmudov at Wembley Stadium earlier this month. After the fight, Fury directly called out Joshua, raising excitement among boxing fans worldwide.Joshua, who was present at ringside during Fury’s comeback fight, chose not to enter the ring for a face-off. Despite that, negotiations have been ongoing behind the scenes. Saudi boxing figure Turki Alalshikh is playing a key role in finalizing the deal. Both camps are now reportedly close to reaching an agreement. If everything goes as planned, the fight could take place later this year, possibly in the United Kingdom.
Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury deal nears completion as talks progress
Promoter Eddie Hearn has indicated that discussions are moving in the right direction. He explained to Sportsman Boxing that Tyson Fury has already agreed to the deal, and now the focus is on getting Anthony Joshua to sign. According to him, several contract drafts have been exchanged between both sides, and the negotiations are now in the final stages. He made it clear that both camps are fully committed to making this fight happen and believes there is a strong possibility of an agreement being reached within days.
Joshua has been in similar situations before. He previously signed a deal to fight Deontay Wilder, but that fight collapsed after Wilder lost to Joseph Parker. This has made experts like Carl Froch and David Haye cautious about Joshua taking any risky interim bouts before the Fury fight.Joshua last fought in December against Jake Paul in Miami, winning comfortably. However, shortly after that bout, he was involved in a tragic car accident in Nigeria. The crash resulted in the deaths of two close friends. Despite the emotional setback, Joshua has returned to training and is currently working in Valencia with the team of Oleksandr Usyk.The financial structure of the fight is also unique. Instead of negotiating percentage splits, Alalshikh is expected to offer both fighters fixed purses. Hearn also mentioned that the bout is likely to happen around November. While he personally believes it should take place in London, possibly at Wembley, he admitted that the final decision on the venue will be made by the organizers.