Tyson Fury free to fight Joshua outside U.K., Hearn says

Tyson Fury's signed contract to face Anthony Joshua does not require the fight to take place in the U.K., according to Eddie Hearn, though Joshua's deal contains exactly that stipulation.

Speaking to reporters Friday in Arizona, Hearn said Joshua's contract with Saudi financier Turki Alalshikh explicitly states "the fight must take place in the U.K.," per BoxingScene. Fury's agreement includes no such language. The discrepancy opens a door for renegotiation, though Hearn stressed any venue change would need Joshua's approval and a fresh round of talks.

Zuffa Boxing locked out of promotional duties

Hearn went further, declaring that Dana White and his Zuffa Boxing venture are contractually barred from involvement in the event. White claimed last week he would promote the bout and floated the possibility of a U.S. location. Hearn dismissed that as wishful thinking. "Specifically in the contract it says Dana White, Zuffa cannot have any promotional involvement in the show," he said. "Dana doesn't know about the contract for the show that we signed and negotiated."

Both fighters have signed deals naming Hearn and Frank Warren as the official promoters. Alalshikh, who owns 60 percent of Zuffa Boxing, retains final say on the purse but cannot unilaterally assign promotional rights to White, Hearn said. Boxing officials told BoxingScene that Alalshikh has privately discussed SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas as potential backup sites.

Hearn acknowledged that moving the fight abroad is "not necessarily a problem" if all parties agree, but added that the bout was signed with the understanding it would happen in Britain. Fury is scheduled for a tune-up August 1 in Dublin, with Joshua facing Kristian Prenga on July 25.

Source: boxingscene.com