Las Vegas ‘frontrunner’ to host Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury, but one term must be changed first

Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury appears to be heading across the pond, unless AJ stands firm.

At present, Joshua’s contract states that the long-awaited all-British showdown, which is tentatively pencilled in for the back end of the year after respective tune-up fights, must land on UK soil.

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Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, revealed that fact earlier this month, but in the same breath, he made mention of ‘murmurs of the fight taking place in the US’.

Well, it now seems that those murmurs are taking shape.

According to The Athletic, Las Vegas is the frontrunner to host the money-spinning heavyweight bout, with other US cities also in consideration.

London’s Wembley Stadium had previously been the preferred location for the fight, but concerns about the temperamental British weather have seemingly caused the pendulum to swing.

Fury’s preference is not known, although his manager, Spencer Brown, has made his thoughts clear.

“This fight should be in the UK, that’s where the fans wanted it, but there are time constraints, weather issues,” Fury’s manager Spencer Brown told The Athletic.

“We need to get it sorted soon, as if it is in the US, the fans need to book flights, if it is in the UK, they still need to get time off work.”

Fury returned to the US over the weekend for the first time since his punishing trilogy bout with Deontay Wilder in October 2021.

He was in the US capital of Washington D.C., to watch the UFC‘s unprecedented event on the South Lawn of the White House.

While being interviewed at cageside, he teased a “big announcement” involving UFC president Dana White, but neither he nor the MMA mogul delved into further detail on the night.

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Many pre-eminent voices speculated that he may be joining Zuffa Boxing, the upstart promotion led by White and financed by Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh.

Fury would even take to social media to assert that ‘Alalshikh will be his promoter until he retires’.

However, it is understood that he is still under contract with Queensberry’s Frank Warren.

Perhaps Fury was alluding to the fact that his bout with Joshua is US-bound.

At the time of writing, that will require adjustments to Joshua’s contract.

There will also need to be changes made if White and Zuffa Boxing are to be involved in the event, as the UFC President so confidently asserts.

Both Hearn and Warren have confirmed that it is contractually impossible for White or anyone else associated with Zuffa to promote the event.

It is important to note, however, that Alalshikh – who is bankrolling Joshua-Fury – owns 60 per cent of the company.

Boxing schedule

For all the upcoming fights and results this year, check out talkSPORT.com’s  boxing schedule.