Former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has returned to training in Miami as uncertainty surrounds his proposed clash with Anthony Joshua, despite promoters maintaining that the highly anticipated bout is still being planned.
Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, confirmed that the 38-year-old has started preparations for his next fight. However, negotiations over the location of the contest remain unresolved.
Warren said he expects Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh to provide clarity soon, while expressing confidence that the remaining disagreements between Matchroom and Joshua’s representatives will be settled.
Wembley had initially been viewed as the leading venue for the British heavyweight showdown. However, the growing push to stage the contest in the United States has complicated negotiations, with organisers attracted by the commercial opportunities and larger American television audience.
Warren cited Muhammad Ali’s famous 1974 meeting with George Foreman in Zaire as an example of a major heavyweight fight taking place outside the fighters’ home countries.
Meanwhile, Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn has labelled the current period a decisive stage in the negotiations. Although both fighters have agreed to the bout, Joshua’s contract reportedly includes a provision requiring the fight to take place in the United Kingdom.
Netflix and Alalshikh are reportedly keen on an American venue to maximise exposure during prime-time viewing in the US. Hearn has accused the Saudi-backed organisers of seeking to move beyond the terms of Joshua’s agreement by proposing Madison Square Garden in New York.
Hearn said negotiations were progressing but warned that time was becoming an important factor. He explained that Joshua had already made significant progress in his recovery and was preparing to resume a full training camp.
According to Hearn, his team has submitted amendments to the agreement, including an increased payment for Joshua to compensate for the tax implications of fighting in America. He added that Joshua’s camp would consider a US-based event if the revised terms were accepted.
The Matchroom chief also acknowledged that the fight could be pushed back to December, something both he and Joshua would prefer to avoid.
Joshua, 36, last fought in July, stopping previously unbeaten Albanian Kristian Prenga after recovering from two knockdowns. Fury, 38, also returned to action around the same period, defeating 46-year-old Polish veteran Mariusz Wach inside seven rounds.
With both former champions now following similar schedules, negotiations between their respective teams remain ongoing. At present, Friday, November 20, with Madison Square Garden as the proposed venue, remains the target for the much-anticipated heavyweight encounter.
