Anthony Joshua Accepts Huge Pay Cut to Ensure Fury Fight Happens in UK
The long-anticipated showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua is officially set for December 11 at the Principality Stadium, much to the delight of British boxing fans.
Initially, there was speculation the event might be held at Madison Square Garden in New York, but the fight will remain in the UK. For Joshua, this means sacrificing a significant payday to bring the clash to British soil.
Background to the Mega Fight
The possibility of this matchup has been stretched out over several years. When Joshua defeated Wladimir Klitschko in April 2017, he reached the top of the heavyweight division while Fury struggled with mental health issues and was absent from boxing.
A deal was once near for a late 2020 fight after Fury won the WBC belt and Joshua reclaimed his titles from Andy Ruiz Jr., but a legal battle involving Deontay Wilder delayed everything.
Since then, the appeal of the fight has fluctuated. Joshua lost consecutive bouts to Oleksandr Usyk, dropping all belts, then returned with wins against less challenging opponents. Meanwhile, Fury eked out a controversial win over former UFC champion Francis Ngannou before suffering two losses to Usyk.
During this period, Joshua also endured a knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois. With titles no longer on the line and both fighters’ reputations diminished, the stakes have shifted.
After recent wins for both men, including Joshua's second-round knockout of Kristian Prenga and Fury's victory over Mariusz Wach, the fight finally secured a date and a UK venue.
Joshua’s Financial Sacrifice
Joshua and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, insisted the fight stay in the UK, even if it meant a smaller payout. Reports suggest Joshua turned down over £10 million ($13 million) to keep the bout domestic.
“People started saying, ‘please bring the fight to the UK,’ and AJ started feeling that. To keep it in the UK, he's got to turn down eight figures plus,” Hearn explained. “AJ goes to me, ‘whatever you think,’ and I'm like, ‘no, no, no, it's your money. I can't make that decision for you.’ He asks, ‘what [do you] think I should do?’ and I told him I think the UK is where the fight should be because there's an edge for him to have this fight in the UK, but it's a lot of money. And he went, ‘f*** it, we'll do it in the UK.’”
Adding to the financial hit, Turki Alalshikh noted at the press conference that moving the event from New York to Cardiff could mean overall losses around £53 million ($70 million).
Timing Challenges for UK Fans
While British fans have their fight on home ground, the start time may be late, as organizers aim to accommodate American viewers. The kickoff could be after midnight UK time, still preferable to the early morning hours fans would face if the fight were in the US.
