Fury-Joshua fight locked to U.K. in AJ's contract, Hearn says

Anthony Joshua's contract for his heavyweight showdown with Tyson Fury requires the fight to take place in the United Kingdom, but Fury's deal contains no matching venue restriction, Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn confirmed to BoxingScene.

Hearn said the discrepancy does not mean the long-anticipated clash will leave British soil, but it does leave wiggle room if Saudi boxing financier Turki Alalshikh wants to change course. "I don't know what [Fury's contract] says about the venue," Hearn told the outlet Friday. "I just know what ours says: That, exclusively, the fight must take place in the U.K."

Zuffa Boxing barred from promotional role despite White claims

Both fighters have signed agreements naming Hearn and Frank Warren as the promoters of record, Hearn said, with a clause explicitly excluding Dana White's new Zuffa Boxing venture from any promotional involvement. That stance directly contradicts White's public comments last week, when the UFC president told reporters he would be promoting the bout and hinted it might not land in Britain. Hearn speculated that Las Vegas or Los Angeles could be on Zuffa's wishlist, per BoxingScene, but stressed the contracts tie Alalshikh's hands. "Specifically in the contract it says Dana White, Zuffa cannot have any promotional involvement in the show," Hearn said. "Unfortunately for those guys, they can't do that without clearing it with us."

Hearn added that Alalshikh — who owns 60 per cent of Zuffa Boxing — remains the financial driver of the fight but cannot unilaterally install White as promoter. "Turki doesn't have to take over the fight. Turki is the fight," Hearn said. "But Dana doesn't know about the contract for the show that we signed and negotiated." The Matchroom chief suggested White is trying to attach himself to the bout as Zuffa scrambles for credibility amid ongoing legal friction with other promoters and broadcasters, including cease-and-desist letters from Golden Boy Promotions and DAZN over Ryan Garcia negotiations.

Joshua meets Kristian Prenga in a July 25 tune-up, while Fury fights August 1 in Dublin before the pair collide later this year.

Source: boxingscene.com