Tyson Fury has confirmed that his long-awaited heavyweight showdown with British-Nigerian Anthony Joshua will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York, bringing an end to months of uncertainty over the venue for the highly anticipated clash. The former world heavyweight champion announced the development on Instagram, posting a promotional poster featuring himself and Joshua against the backdrop of the New York City skyline.
However, Fury did not reveal a date for the fight in his post. “What a place NYC, and what a venue MSG, and what a fight Fury vs AJ, the land of opportunity,” Fury wrote. “What a weekend away for the lads on the piss in NYC. Iconic!
Not long now guys.” Joshua was not tagged in the post, while neither the two-time world champion nor his promoter, Matchroom Boxing, had confirmed the venue as of this report. The bout is expected to take place in November, with November 20 understood to be the target date after both fighters signed contracts with Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.
The decision to stage the fight in the United States has been a major talking point, particularly because Joshua’s original terms stipulated that the bout should take place in the United Kingdom. Organisers Netflix and Alalshikh had pushed for the blockbuster contest to be staged in the United States, forcing Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn into fresh negotiations over the proposed move across the Atlantic.
Hearn had previously revealed that Joshua’s camp remained opposed to taking the fight outside Britain but acknowledged that a deal had to satisfy all parties. “We don’t want to do the fight in the US, but we also understand it has to work for everybody,” Hearn said.