NorthStandCA logo

Anthony Joshua Accepts Major Pay Cut to Secure Tyson Fury Fight in UK

The much-anticipated showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua is officially set for December 11 at the Principality Stadium. Fans across Britain can finally celebrate, especially after rumors had hinted the fight might take place at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Joshua’s decision to bring this huge fight home to the UK came at a cost. Reports reveal he sacrificed a large chunk of potential earnings that would have come from hosting the event in the United States. This sacrifice was made so that British fans could witness what may be the biggest fight in the history of British boxing on home soil.

A Long Road to the Superfight

The idea of a Fury-Joshua clash has lingered for years. Back in April 2017, Joshua reached the peak by defeating Wladimir Klitschko and holding the WBA and IBF titles. Meanwhile, Fury was dealing with mental health struggles and staying away from boxing. A deal was close at the end of 2020 after Fury claimed the WBC title from Deontay Wilder and Joshua regained belts from Andy Ruiz Jr., but Wilder’s legal battle for a trilogy fight stalled the plans.

Over time, the excitement dimmed. Joshua lost two consecutive fights to Oleksandr Usyk, losing all his belts. His subsequent wins were over lesser-known opponents: Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, and Otto Wallin. Fury’s controversial win against former UFC champ Francis Ngannou, where Fury was dropped, was followed by back-to-back losses to Usyk.

Both fighters’ reputations took hits. Joshua even suffered a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in between the Usyk and Fury bouts. Despite this, after Fury defeated Mariusz Wach and Joshua scored a quick knockout over Kristian Prenga, the fight date and UK venue were locked in.

The Cost of Keeping the Fight in the UK

Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, revealed the boxer willingly gave up over £10 million ($13 million) to ensure the bout happened in Britain.

“People started saying, ‘please bring the fight to the UK,’ and AJ started feeling that. To keep it in the UK, he's got to turn down eight figures plus. AJ goes to me, ‘whatever you think,’ and I'm like, ‘no, no, no, it's your money. I can't make that decision for you.’ He asks, ‘what [do you] think I should do?’ and I told him I think the UK is where the fight should be because there's an edge for him to have this fight in the UK, but it's a lot of money. And he went, ‘f*** it, we'll do it in the UK.’”

Furthermore, Turki Alalshikh mentioned at the press conference that switching the location from New York to Cardiff caused losses around £53 million ($70 million).

British viewers won't get the perfect start time either. Organizers aim to begin the fight after midnight UK time so more American fans can watch live, but this is still preferable to a typical US-based start time, which often falls between 3 and 4 a.m. in the UK.

Upcoming Fixtures

  • October 10, 12:30 pm: Arsenal vs LEE
  • October 10, 3:00 pm: Brighton vs SUN
  • October 10, 3:00 pm: Ipswich vs FUL
  • October 10, 3:00 pm: Chelsea vs BOR
  • October 10, 3:00 pm: Aston Villa vs BRE
  • October 10, 5:30 pm: Manchester United vs TOT
  • October 11, 12:00 pm: Hull vs EVE
  • October 11, 12:00 pm: Crystal Palace vs NOT
  • October 11, 4:30 pm: Liverpool vs MNC
  • October 12, 8:00 pm: Coventry vs NEW
  • October 17, 12:30 pm: Everton vs CFC
  • October 17, 3:00 pm: Manchester City vs IPS
  • October 17, 3:00 pm: Fulham vs HUL
  • October 17, 3:00 pm: Brentford vs LIV
  • October 17, 5:30 pm: Newcastle vs AST
  • October 18, 2:00 pm: Leeds vs MNU
  • October 18, 2:00 pm: Brighton vs CRY
  • October 18, 2:00 pm: Bournemouth vs SUN
  • October 18, 4:30 pm: Nottingham Forest vs ARS
  • October 19, 8:00 pm: Tottenham vs COV

Related News