Heavyweights Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have reached financial agreement on a two-fight deal expected to take place next year with Saudi Arabia expected to host the event.
Eddie Hearn, who represents Joshua and also promotes Katie Taylor, has confirmed that the financial elements of a mega-money agreement have been settled with boxing management company MTK, Fury's representatives.
The deal firmly places Irishman Daniel Kinahan, who Fury publicly thanked on Instagram, among the sport’s most influential figures. Kinahan’s involvement in the top levels of organised crime has been accepted as fact by an Irish court, despite the 42-year-old’s lack of previous convictions.
MTK has established a presence in 10 locations worldwide with boxing gyms and training facilities in Marbella, London, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Scotland, Johannesburg, Sydney, Brazil and Dubai and had previously denied it had any relationship with Kinahan.
But last month it announced that it had entered into a partnership with Kinahan and KHK Sports to stage the world’s biggest boxing and combat sports events in the Middle East.
Fury posted his reaction to the agreement and effusively praised the Dubliner for getting the deal over the line.
“I’m just after getting off the phone with Daniel Kinahan. He’s just informed me that the biggest fight in British boxing history has just been agreed,” said Fury.
“Big shout out to Dan. He got this done, literally over the line. Two fight deal. Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua next year. One problem I just got to smash Deontay Wilder’s face right in in next fight and then we’ll go into the Joshua fight next year.
“So there we are the Gypsy King versus AJ is on for next year. But there’s a hurdle in the road called The Bronze Bomber AKA the knockout king. But I will get on to him and knock him spark out and then we’ll go on for the big fight. So a big thank you to Dan for getting this deal over the line. All the best. God bless you all. See you soon.”
Hearn said there a number of obstacles to overcome as well as having to confirm a time and a date for the fights. Joshua, who is currently recovering from a knee injury, faces a defence of his IBF, WBA and WBO titles against Kubrat Pulev and then has a mandatory meeting with old rival Dillian Whyte by February of next year. Only after that can he take on Fury.
A meeting of the two has been talked about for some time but scheduling and contractual issues prevented it from happening. Hearn, though, expressed confidence that contracts will be finalised early next year, with the pair stepping into the ring for the first time in the summer of 2021.
“The point of Fury, Joshua and the teams agreeing to the structure of the deal? The first fight could happen next summer. It will be 2021,” said Hearn. “There is a big period of time where Whyte should get his shot at the title. That’s important to us. The main positive news is that Joshua and Fury have agreed to a two-fight deal, in essence.
‘It’s the biggest fight ever in British boxing,” he added. “It doesn’t get bigger, and there will never be a bigger fight in our generation.
“From a commonsense point of view and without knowing how a deal works, everyone will say Britain is the place to hold the fight. But it is the world heavyweight championship. There will be all sorts of offers from across the world and there have been already.”
