Tyson Fury announces he will fight Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia
Tyson Fury announces he will fight Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia
17-05-2021 01:54 PM
Ammon News - Bout will take place on 14 August, Fury says on Twitter.
First time all four heavyweight world titles will be contested.
Tyson Fury has announced his all-British heavyweight showdown with Anthony Joshua will take place in Saudi Arabia on 14 August.
In a video posted to Twitter, the 32-year-old said: “I have got some massive news. I have just got off the phone with Prince Khalid of Saudi Arabia and he told me this fight is 100% on, 14 August.”
Fury, the WBC champion, added: “All eyes of the world will be on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I cannot wait, I repeat, cannot wait to smash Anthony Joshua on the biggest stage of all-time. This is going to be the biggest sporting event ever to grace the planet Earth. Do not miss it.”
The pair will contest all four world titles for the first time in the sport’s history. Joshua, a year younger than Fury, holds the WBA, WBO and IBF belts.
Plans for a fight between the pair were set in motion when Fury defeated Deontay Wilder to capture the WBC title in February last year, just a couple of months after Joshua avenged his only career loss to Andy Ruiz Jr.
Joshua retained his three belts last December with a ninth-round knockout of mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev but the unbeaten Fury’s planned trilogy fight against Wilder has failed to materialise.
A proposed homecoming against Agit Kabayel in December was scotched, meaning Fury, who proclaims himself as the lineal champion in the division, has not fought in more than 12 months since stopping Wilder in Las Vegas.
Financially and in terms of its global projection, Fury’s showdown with Joshua is set to dwarf the all-British super-fights that have come before, among them David Haye v Tony Bellew, Carl Froch v George Groves, Frank Bruno v Lennox Lewis and Nigel Benn v Chris Eubank.
Speaking about the proposed fight, Haye said: “I like the dedication of Joshua and I think he has a good chance of winning it early. People think I’m crazy but that’s just the way I see it. I think it’s a great fight and I really see it being won by stoppage. I’m just so glad we’re so close to seeing it happen.”
*theguardian