Every now and then there comes a boxing event that catches the attention of the entire boxing world, and even those who are not big fans of the sport.
The fight that everyone wants to see happen is Anthony Joshua against Tyson Fury and there is a chance the two brilliant fighters will get in the ring together this year. Joshua ended 2020 as the WBA, IBF, and WBO champion, while Fury claimed the WBC strap in February 2020. A fight between these two is bound to be epic.
When Could the Fight Happen?
Fury was meant to fight Agit Kabayelhe back in December, but it was abandoned due to the current pandemic situation. Deontay Wilder wants Fury to honour the agreement that he made for a third fight between them this year, but Fury has gone off the idea and is ready to go down a different path.
It is believed that Joshua and Fury will agree to a two-fight contract with the first fight happening in the summer and the second fight happening before Christmas. The financial terms are likely going to state that the first fight will have a 50/50 purse split, while the purse for the second fight will be split 60/40 in favour of the fighter that wins the first fight.
However, we do not think that the two fighters will care that much about money as it is not like they do not have enough in their bank account as it is. This instead will be for the right to call themselves the best British boxer, which the winner can certainly do. However, although Joshua represents Great Britain, he has a Nigerian heritage that he is very proud of. Thus, when he steps into the ring, he is also representing Nigeria. You can tell that he is proud of his roots as he has a tattoo of Africa on his shoulder with Nigeria shaded in. He also wanted to represent Nigeria in 2008 but was turned away so he represented Britain and won gold.
What Could Stop This Fight from Happening?
There are a number of issues that have to be resolved before this fight can go ahead. For example, Fury has to solve his issue with Wilder, who believes that Fury owes him a third fight.
Also, Joshua is obliged to go up against Oleksandr Usyk to defend his WBO title. This means that Joshua could be forced to drop his WBO belt so that he can fight Fury, meaning that the fight would not be for an “undisputed” status. However, Usyk has hinted that he would be willing to step aside for the time being and then have a shot at all the heavyweight belts at some other stage.
Where Could the Fight Happen?
British boxing fans would obviously love this fight to be held in the United Kingdom with Wembley, Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium and the Principality Stadium in Cardiff being the main candidates. However, money, like it always is, will be the deciding factor on where the fight happens.
Eddie Hearn has named locations such as Dubai, Singapore, America, Qatar, and China as some possible options, although Saudi Arabia has been ear marked as the favourite destination to host the fight. However, if they agree to fight twice, it would be a real shame if one of the fights was not in the United Kingdom. Joshua has even said that he would be willing to take a pay cut if the fight was to be held in the UK.
As well as money, the current Covid-19 situation will play a part in the destination of this fight. Obviously, the safety of the fighters and any spectators allowed in to watch has to be taken into consideration.
Who Will Win the Fight?
This is a tough question as they are both great fighters. The odds for the fight are not out on boxing betting sites yet because nobody knows a date or a venue, but when they do come out, we would imagine that the odds will be pretty even. Retired boxers are also finding it hard to come to a consensus as to who will be victorious with half seeming to say that Joshua will be victorious and the other half saying that Tyson will win.
There is only one thing that we can and that is wait and see – we hope we are not waiting too long.
