WORLD heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua is poised to earn $100m from his next fight against Briton Tyson Fury when the two lock horns in what has been described as the biggest fight in British boxing history.
Last month at the SSE Arena at Wembley Stadium, Joshua knocked out Bulgarian challenger Kubrat Pulev in the ninth round to retain his World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Organisation (WBO) and International Boxing Organisation (IBO) titles. Joshua downed his Bulgarian opponent three times before finally delivering the finishing blow in the ninth round.
A unification fight against World Boxing Council (WBC) holder Tyson Fury is expected later this year and Fury’s promoter Bob Arum, said it should be a money spinner. For now, the location for the fight had not been decided, neither has the country where it will take place been revealed.
Mr Arum said: “The Joshua versus Fury fight will earn each of the guys close to $100m. It is the biggest fight in history in the UK and around the world, it is the biggest fight that people want to see.”
It appears, however, that the coronavirus pandemic has put paid to any lingering possibility of the bout happening in the UK. Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, previously named Singapore, Dubai, Qatar, America and China as possible options, although Saudi Arabia has also been touted as a possible venue.
Mr Arum added: “We have a location and as far as the date is confirmed, we haven’t zeroed in on a date. It could be as late as June because it would give more time to solve the coronavirus problem.
“By June, most people will be vaccinated, so it’s possible. Then, we would do the fight, pay-per-view in the UK and pay-per-view early evening in the United States.”
