Fury contract has no U.K. clause, but Hearn bars Zuffa from Joshua bout

Tyson Fury's contract to fight Anthony Joshua does not require a U.K. venue, leaving the location of boxing's biggest heavyweight clash in play despite months of public expectation the bout would land in Britain.

BoxingScene learned that while Joshua's deal mandates the fight take place in the U.K., Fury's signed agreement with Saudi financier Turki Alalshikh contains no such stipulation. The detail surfaced as Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn dismissed Dana White's claims that Zuffa Boxing will promote the September showdown, calling the outfit's involvement contractually forbidden.

Hearn confirms Zuffa Boxing excluded from Joshua-Fury promotion

Hearn told reporters Friday that both fighters signed contracts explicitly naming him and rival U.K. promoter Frank Warren as promoters of record, with a clause barring White's Zuffa operation from any role. "Specifically in the contract it says Dana White, Zuffa cannot have any promotional involvement in the show," Hearn said, per BoxingScene. "Dana doesn't know about the contract for the show that we signed and negotiated."

White told reporters last week he would promote the bout and hinted it might leave the U.K., fueling speculation that Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas or SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles could emerge as targets. Two boxing officials told BoxingScene that Alalshikh floated SoFi, which hosts the 2027 Super Bowl, as a potential venue. Hearn acknowledged Alalshikh could push for a U.S. location but said Joshua's contract would require renegotiation. "If Turki Alalshikh wants to hold the fight in another country, that's not necessarily a problem, but contractually he cannot do that," Hearn said.

Alalshikh owns sixty percent of Zuffa Boxing but remains bound by the terms he signed with both camps. Hearn speculated White's public posturing reflects desperation to attach his name to the event after Zuffa's early stumbles in the sport. "They're failing really bad at the moment with the product and they're trying to latch onto this," Hearn said. Fury meets a tune-up opponent August 1 in Dublin, while Joshua faces Kristian Prenga on July 25 before the pair collide in September.

Source: boxingscene.com