TLDR
- The Fury vs. Joshua fight signed in April is now in jeopardy over venue disagreements
- Joshua’s team wants the fight at Wembley Stadium in London as originally agreed
- Fury’s team and TKO are pushing to move the fight to Madison Square Garden in New York
- Eddie Hearn claims TKO went behind his back to offer Joshua money to accept the venue change
- Fury has given up on the Joshua fight and called for Oleksandr Usyk to replace him in November
Sources: mmafighting.com | youtube.com
The long-awaited heavyweight boxing match between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua appears to be falling apart after more than a decade of anticipation. Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, is pointing fingers at TKO for derailing what was supposed to be a November showdown.
The fight was officially signed in April 2026, with both British champions finally agreeing to face each other. But months later, the deal has become complicated by disputes over where the fight should take place.
The Venue Dispute
According to Hearn, Joshua’s team signed on to fight at Wembley Stadium in London. However, Fury’s team and TKO are now pushing to move the event to Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Speaking to DAZN on Saturday after Katie Taylor’s retirement fight, Hearn accused TKO of making backdoor offers to Joshua. “Yesterday [Friday], TKO went around the back again to try and offer Joshua money to do the fight in America,” Hearn said.
🚨BREAKING: FURY vs JOSHUA IS OFF!@Tyson_Fury has confirmed via his latest Instagram post that the Anthony Joshua fight is OFF bringing an end to plans for the biggest fight in British boxing.
Fury has now called out Oleksandr Usyk, asking if he wants to step in and fight him… pic.twitter.com/ZGJvVcdLgJ
— Boxing King Media (@boxingkingmedia) September 6, 2026
Hearn called the tactics a “dirty, dirty game” and said the behavior is making negotiations harder. He claims TKO gave Joshua’s team only 90 minutes to make a decision on the venue change.
“What don’t you understand? I signed to fight in Britain. I want the fight in Britain,” Hearn said, speaking for Joshua. “You can’t buy everybody. Especially the ones who it means something to.”
Hearn argued that Joshua is more determined than ever to keep the fight in Britain because of support from UK fans. He said the fight would be “the greatest sporting event our country’s ever seen” with 100,000 people at Wembley Stadium.
The promoter claims TKO’s involvement is the main problem. “If they [TKO] had never gotten involved in the first place, the fight would already be announced and signed,” Hearn said.
He accused TKO of telling British fight fans “we don’t give a fuck” by insisting on an American venue. Hearn also said his team has already written to TKO about their conduct, questioning whether their tactics are appropriate for a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange.
Fury Moves On to Usyk
Fury acknowledges the fight was originally signed for London but seems content with fighting in New York. He praised Dana White and TKO for getting “it all over the line.”
On Sunday, Fury appeared to give up on the Joshua fight entirely. In an Instagram Story, he criticized Joshua for backing out after 11 years of anticipation.
“So, it looks like AJ has shat his pants yet again,” Fury said. “After 11 years, he’s finally shat his pants yet again.”
Fury then called out Oleksandr Usyk to replace Joshua for a November fight at Madison Square Garden. Usyk has beaten Fury twice before in championship bouts.
“Oleksandr, you were his trainer and his sensei, and you know he’s a weak-minded piece of shit, and that he would never fight The Gypsy King,” Fury said. “Listen, you got the decisions last time; fair play to you. Good luck to you, but let’s do it again.”
Fury asked Usyk to confirm whether he wants to fight in 2026 or is retiring from boxing. “Let me know, because I’m now looking for a new opponent,” Fury said.
