Joshua vs Fury killed off by lockdown as Singapore bids to host fight

UK prospects of Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury’s super-fight killed off by latest lockdown as Singapore joins long list of countries bidding to host all-British showdown – with Saudi Arabia favourite

  • Anthony Joshua’s proposed showdown with Tyson Fury has taken a setback 
  • The latest UK lockdown means the blockbuster fight cannot be hosted 
  • Singapore has joined a growing list of nations bidding to stage the contest 

The prospects of Anthony Joshua’s super-fight with Tyson Fury taking place in the UK have been killed off by the latest lockdown, with Singapore now joining the list of countries bidding to stage the showdown for the undisputed heavyweight title.

There was only ever a slim chance of the clash happening in this country in late May or early June because of the financial necessity of a full crowd, but promoter Eddie Hearn has now confirmed that the increased restrictions have effectively removed the possibility altogether.

The Middle East remains the most likely destination, with approaches received from Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Qatar, and there is further interest in the US and China. 


Anthony Joshua’s all-British showdown with Tyson Fury may now be staged overseas

Joshua has the all-British showdown in his sights after recently destroying Kubrat Pulev

Hearn told Sportsmail on Wednesday that Singapore has also emerged as a possibility for a fight that will require a major site fee to help cover purses that could go as high as £100m for each of the British rivals.

With the fighters’ financial split agreed at 50-50, and the winner then slated to receive 60-40 for the rematch, Hearn is ‘optimistic’ that the remaining details of the deal, including the location and broadcasting arrangements, can be tied up in the next two weeks.

He said: ‘Even before this current situation there was no guarantee that we would do the first fight in the UK because it was almost impossible that we would get clearance to have, say, 90,000 at Wembley in late May. 

Eddie Hearn has told Sportsmail that the fight is now ‘far more likely’ to take place abroad

‘Now it is far, far more likely that it will be abroad.

‘There have been a lot of conversations between both sides in the past couple of weeks and we’re optimistic that we can tie up stuff in the next fortnight.’

Hearn also indicated that WBO super-middleweight world champion Billy Joe Saunders will learn next week if he has landed a unification fight with Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez, who holds the WBA and WBC belts. Saunders and IBF holder Caleb Plant have each been in talks to land a May 5 fight against Alvarez.




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