The undisputed heavyweight world title fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua is likely set this summer for a new indoor arena in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, according to promoter Bob Arum.
The bout, viewed as one of the most high-profile in boxing's recent history, is said to be close to confirmation, with both Fury and Joshua agreeing late last week to one of the numerous offers presented to them.
Saudi Arabia has long been the front-runner to stage the clash, with Qatar, Russia, Uzbekistan, the United States and the United Kingdom all reported to have bid for the right to host.
Arum, the Top Rank chairman who co-promotes Fury, told BoxingScene late on Monday that the exact venue in Jeddah has not yet been made known to him, but that he fully expected the fight to go ahead in the kingdom.
“We have [site deal] contracts now that we are marking up and so forth,” Arum said. “It’s a big step. We’re just doing the paperwork now with the Saudis.”
Arum agreed with an earlier report in BoxingScene that quoted promoter Eddie Hearn, who represents Joshua, confirming three possible dates for the bout: July 24, July 31 and August 7.
On when the fight would be announced, the American said: “It’s going to have to be within the next 10 days, maybe two weeks. It’s a massive economic deal.”
Saudi Arabia hosted Joshua's rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr in December 2019, at an outdoor facility in Diriyah. Jeddah has staged previously its own prominent boxing event, when in 2018 it provided the setting for the final of the World Boxing Super Series tournament. That took place at the Indoor Sports Hall in King Abdullah Sports City.
Fury and Joshua have long agreed to a two-fight deal, with the first going ahead this summer and the second, understood to be planned for the UK, set to be held before the end of the year. Hearn has suggested December for the rematch. The first fight is reported to be worth $275 million.
The unbeaten Fury, whose record stands at 30-0-1 (21 KOs), holds the WBC belt, while Joshua (24-1, 22 KOs), is the IBF, WBA, and WBO champion. Fury, 32, has not fought since dominating Deontay Wilder in seven rounds in their rematch in Las Vegas in February last year. Meanwhile, Joshua, 31, returned in December following a year out to dispatch mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev in the ninth round of their encounter in London.
