As talks between Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and their representatives get underway, here’s how the process actually works
The making of the £200million fight between Anthony Joshua (IBF, WBA, WBO, champion) and Tyson Fury (WBC champion) for the undisputed heavyweight crown will be a complex negotiation involving the fighters, their management and promoters, the broadcasters, and the venue.
It will be the first time that all four belts have been on the line in a world heavyweight title bout.
How the fight has come about
Fury previously held the IBF, WBO and WBA belts following victory over Wladimir Klitschko in Germany in November 2015, and is undefeated in 31 fights. The belts were relinquished when Fury left the sport for 32 months.
Fury won the WBC belt by knocking out Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas in February 2020. They had met in December 2018 for Wilder’s WBC belt, which ended in a controversial draw.
Joshua claimed the three belts with victories over Charles Martin, Klitschko and Joseph Parker, losing them to Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019, but claiming them back in a rematch with the Mexican-American in December last year in Saudi Arabia.
It is believed Joshua earned £60 million that night, the most a challenger has earned in a world title bout.
The fighters
Fury and Joshua agreed in principle during the summer to two fights in 2021, with a 50/50 split in pay, and a 60/40 split in the second fight with the winner of the first meeting taking the lion’s share in the second in the series.
It represents a significant inroad to getting the complete deal over the line. Fury is being urged not to take a fight in the interim, meaning that if they meet in May or June 2021, the ‘Gypsy King’ would not have fought for 15 or 16 months. That’s significant.
Both fighters intimated – Fury more so – after Joshua’s victory on Saturday night that they are keyed in for 2021. “There is no reason we cannot complete the deal and then move on and solve the other problems,” says Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn.
“We need to write to the governing bodies and say ‘yes we have a deal’ and we will now talk to the various sites and confirm the dates shortly for what I suppose will be the end of May.”
The promoters
Hearn promotes Joshua, while Bob Arum, based in Las Vegas, oversees Fury’s interests there. Fury has fought in the USA in his last four contests, and is licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Frank Warren promotes Fury in the UK, along with broadcasters BT Sport. The promoters will need to confirm the deal has been fully agreed by the fighters, and inform the sanctioning bodies – the WBC, IBF, WBO and WBA – to have the contest ratified.
“I’m sure it’s gonna be some tough negotiating, but at the end of the day there is a will from everybody,” says Warren.
“That’s Matchroom, Queensberry, MTK, Top Rank, and, more importantly, Tyson and AJ. Everyone’s going to work hard to get it over the line.”
The TV broadcasters
Given their global reach, Joshua and Fury have a broad span with the television broadcasters. Fury signed an £80million five-fight deal with ESPN, with two fights still to complete, while BT Sport in the UK have broadcast the 6ft 9ins-tall, 19st heavyweight’s last six contests.
Also in the UK, Sky Sports and Sky Sports Box Office have had a long-running relationship with Joshua, while in the USA, the London heavyweight has been backed by DAZN, the digital broadcasters, who have just launched globally.
Given that it is likely to be the biggest pay-per-view boxing event ever in the UK and could exceed 2 million buys, both Sky Sports Box Office and DAZN will share an interest, while US giants ESPN are the likely runners there.
The caveat is that DAZN also has the buying power to be in the market. The promoters will negotiate with the television companies. That is ongoing.
The venue
The UK, the USA and the Middle East are in the running to host the mega-fight, according to both Bob Arum and Eddie Hearn. “We will go to the site which makes the most sense [financially and with COVID-19 restrictions],” Arum told The Telegraph.
The Middle East looks the likeliest location for the first contest, given that Wembley Stadium, with its 90,000 capacity, may still be under UK government restrictions.
As Hearn told The Telegraph last week, the earning capacity for both Joshua and Fury could reach £100million each in the Middle East, with Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain all in the running.
The likelihood is that the Middle East will host the first contest in May or June with the UK taking the second fight in late September or October. Should the first fight be very close, or controversial, it could gross the same again to make it a £400million two-fight battle.
Clearing the way
There are two potential stumbling blocks. First up, the Fury-Wilder trilogy, which is currently under dispute from the American’s team.
Fury defeated Wilder to take the WBC title in February in Las Vegas to take the WBC crown. Wilder’s team claim the trilogy contest is contractual; Arum and Warren claim the time frame has elapsed.
A US judge is currently mediating the situation. If Wilder has a case and Fury is forced to fight Wilder for a third time under the terms of their contract, Joshua could be told by the WBO to face mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk.
All involved in the Joshua-Fury fight will look to clear these obstacles, which could lead to a possible financial deal being struck with Wilder, and an agreement that the undisputed champion vacates the WBO belt within days of Joshua-Fury taking place.