Contracts have been signed for the heavyweight boxing showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, with the fight scheduled for November 20 in New York City. This agreement ends years of negotiations for the highly anticipated all-British matchup.
Tyson Fury teased the impending announcement on social media Tuesday, stating that significant news was imminent and that the fight fans have been waiting for was about to be publicized. Final details were reportedly finalized earlier this week, with the venue being the last major point of discussion.
While Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn had advocated for a UK venue, and Fury also expressed interest in a homecoming fight, neither side wanted venue negotiations to jeopardize the bout. Turki Alalshikh, who is helping to finance the fight, had indicated a willingness to stage the event in Britain if the financial conditions were met. However, the financial case for a UK venue could not be solidified, leading to the decision to host the fight at Madison Square Garden in New York.
The fight is slated for a Friday night to avoid conflicts with major American sporting events and to maximize U.S. exposure. It remains unclear if the main event timing will be convenient for audiences in the United Kingdom.
The official announcement is expected to occur at an iconic British landmark in the coming days, with a press conference anticipated before the end of August. Fury's manager had previously described the announcement event as something fans would not want to miss.
The potential bout between Joshua and Fury has been a topic of discussion in British boxing since the early 2010s. Both fighters rose to prominence around the same time, with Joshua winning Olympic gold in 2012 and Fury already having made his professional debut in 2008. Fury became a world heavyweight champion with his 2015 victory over Wladimir Klitschko, while Joshua moved up the ranks, winning the IBF heavyweight title in 2016.
Negotiations for an undisputed fight have faltered multiple times. A significant opportunity arose in 2021 for a two-fight agreement, but it collapsed due to Fury's arbitration-mandated rematch with Deontay Wilder. Following this, Joshua suffered consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Further discussions in late 2022 for a December fight also failed to materialize. The involvement of Turki Alalshikh and the growth of major boxing events in Saudi Arabia created a new pathway for the fight to be realized.