Turki Alalshikh has revealed Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury will take place before the end of the year but admitted the venue has still not been decided, with Wembley Stadium dependent on one major condition.
Speaking in London on Monday, the Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) confirmed his preference is to stage the long-awaited all-British heavyweight showdown in England.
However, he made it clear any deal hinges on being able to hold the fight late enough to maximise its global audience – particularly in the United States.
‘We will have Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury this year,’ Alalshikh said. ‘We haven’t chosen the place yet. It depends on whether England gives us everything we need. We want to stage the fight in England but we want to make sure the time zone suits the whole world – especially in America.
‘If they allow us to have Wembley, late in the night, we want to do it there. So, right now, it’s about the time, viewership and subscribers. We will talk with the majors.’
The comments suggest Wembley remains the preferred destination, but only if officials are willing to approve an unusually late start time that would allow the fight to air in prime time across the United States.
Turki Alalshikh has revealed Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury will take place before the end of the year but admitted the venue has still not been decided
However, Alalshikh (left) has confirmed his preference is to stage the long-awaited all-British heavyweight showdown in England
However, he made it clear any deal hinges on being able to hold the fight late enough to maximise its global audience – particularly in the United States
Such a move would almost certainly mean another late night for British sports fans, with the main event potentially taking place in the early hours of the morning to satisfy international broadcasters and maximise subscribers on Netflix.
However, under Brent Council’s licensing conditions, major events are generally expected to finish by around 11pm, with organisers required to adhere to agreed dispersal plans to minimise disruption for local residents and transport networks.
Extending beyond those hours would likely require special approval from the local authority and could come with significant additional costs, including extra staffing, policing, stewarding and transport arrangements.
His Excellency Turki Alalshikh made the comments while speaking in London during the official inauguration of SELA International’s headquarters.
The event was attended alongside His Royal Highness Prince Abdullah bin Khaled bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
Joshua and Fury are expected to meet later this year, provided both come through their warm-up fights this summer, with boxing fans now waiting to discover whether the blockbuster clash will finally land at Wembley or elsewhere.
