Anthony Joshua has acknowledged Tyson Fury’s fight offer in full with the rivals set to clash in Cardiff on December 3.
Fury newly challenged Joshua to a long-awaited all-British showdown and proposed the two-time world champion a 60-40 purse after it emerged a prospective undisputed clash against Oleksandr Usyk would likely have to wait until 2023.
But the date of the clash stuck around a sticking point with Fury insisting the fight was held on November 26 at Wembley or on December 3 at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, while Joshua wanted to wait until a week before Christmas.
But Joshua’s management company has now announced they have accepted the earlier date in December, tweeting:
“258 [Management] and Matchroom Boxing can confirm, on behalf of Anthony Joshua, that we accepted all terms presented to us by Fury’s team for a fight December 3 last Friday. Due to the Queen’s passing, it was agreed to halt all communication. We are awaiting a response.” Fury’s promoter Frank Warren immediately tweeted to say: “Contract will be with you very soon.”
Fury had planned to fight Usyk in an undisputed fight in December but the Ukrainian revealed he will not be ready until February or March, which saw Fury turn his attention to Joshua who lost to Usyk last month in their Saudi Arabian rematch.
One remaining issue which could delay an official announcement is the broadcast situation. Fury is tied to BT Sport who will insist on showing the fight on their Box Office arm, while Joshua signed an exclusive deal with DAZN before his second successive defeat by Usyk.
The pair had been set to fight in August 2021 before plans were scuppered by an arbitration judge ruling that Deontay Wilder was contractually entitled to a third fight against Fury, which the American heavyweight would go on to lose by 11th-round knockout.
Source: Guardian