Fury Sets Deadline For Joshua Fight Deal

Tyson Fury has set a deadline for the long-delayed Anthony Joshua fight to be finalized, according to ESPN.

Fury's promoter Frank Warren told reporters that Joshua's team has until the end of next week — September 4 — to resolve the contractual standoff over where the heavyweight bout will take place, per MMA Mania. If terms are not settled by that date, Fury will pursue another opponent for a November 20 card.

What the Venue Dispute Means for Fury-Joshua

The holdup centers on a contract clause that guaranteed the fight would happen in England. Saudi boxing adviser Turki Alalshikh now wants to stage the bout at Madison Square Garden for a Netflix broadcast, putting Joshua's manager Eddie Hearn in a bind over honoring the original terms. Hearn has resisted the venue change, while TKO has reportedly leaked emails attempting to portray his position as unreasonable.

Warren said Team Fury already has a replacement lined up — describing the potential opponent as a "big, big, big" name. That could mean a legitimate contender like Agit Kabayel or a crossover spectacle involving Francis Ngannou or Rico Verhoeven.

Fury and Joshua have circled each other for over a decade. Their most recent attempt to finalize terms was delayed after Joshua survived a serious car accident in Africa earlier this year.

The fight is scheduled for November 20 if the parties can close the gap before Fury's deadline expires.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Tick tock! Tyson Fury puts time limit on Anthony Joshua fight deal