By Dorcas Francis Koji
Former heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury has confirmed that his long-awaited showdown with British-Nigerian boxing star Anthony Joshua will take place at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York, bringing an end to months of uncertainty over the venue.
Fury revealed the development on Instagram, posting a promotional graphic featuring himself and Joshua against the backdrop of the New York City skyline.
Although Fury did not disclose an official fight date, he expressed his excitement about staging the blockbuster contest at one of the world’s most famous sporting venues.
“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, however, was not tagged in the post, while neither the two-time former world heavyweight champion nor his promoter, Matchroom Boxing, had publicly confirmed the announcement at the time.
The highly anticipated all-British heavyweight clash is expected to take place in November, with November 20 reportedly being targeted as the date.
Both fighters have already signed contracts with Saudi Arabian businessman Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, as negotiations over the long-awaited encounter progressed.
Joshua’s initial agreement reportedly required the fight to be staged in the United Kingdom. However, organisers Netflix and Alalshikh pushed for the contest to take place in the United States, forcing Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, to enter further negotiations.
Hearn previously admitted that Joshua’s camp preferred to host the fight in Britain but acknowledged that a compromise was necessary 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.
He explained that one of the major concerns was the tax implications of staging the fight in America, which could significantly reduce Joshua’s net earnings.
“We’ve set out our position, mainly in concern to the tax situation that will deplete his net purse by going to America, which can be rectified and I think they’re happy to do that,” Hearn added.
The promoter said a decision was expected shortly after both sides exchanged their respective terms.
The prospect of Fury-Joshua being staged in New York has already generated mixed reactions among boxing fans, with some questioning why an all-British heavyweight showdown would be taken to the United States rather than held at a major British venue such as Wembley Stadium.
Fury, 38, has won 36 of his professional fights, with his only defeats coming against Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk in back-to-back bouts in 2024.
Following his second defeat to Usyk, Fury announced his retirement before eventually returning to action in July, when he stopped Polish fighter Mariusz Wach in a tune-up bout in Pattaya, Thailand.
Joshua, meanwhile, continued his own comeback preparations with a victory over Kristian Prenga in Jeddah on July 25.
According to Hearn, Joshua’s successful return helped create the conditions for negotiations with Fury’s camp to move forward.
The Fury-Joshua rivalry has been building for several years, with previous attempts to make the fight collapsing.
Talks first broke down in 2021 after a United States judge ruled that Fury was contractually obligated to face Deontay Wilder in a third fight.
Now, with both heavyweight stars having agreed terms and New York emerging as the proposed destination, one of boxing’s most anticipated showdowns appears closer than ever to finally becoming reality.
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