Tyson Fury (L) and Anthony Joshua will fight each other twice in 2021 to unify heavyweight titles. /CFP
Though it took the two sides months of discussions and bargaining, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have finally signed the deal for their two-fight contract to unify heavyweight titles.
"We'd like to get a site deal confirmed in the next month. The hard part is always getting everybody to put pen to paper. But this was a major effort from all parties to get this over the line. You had rival promoters, rival networks and rival fighters," said Eddie Hearn, managing director of Joshua's promoter of Matchroom Sport.
The signings happened on Saturday, according to ESPN, and they included the two rivals Fury and Joshua, Joshua's promoter Matchroom Boxing, Fury's American promoter Top Rank, his English promoter Queensberry and his management company Dubai-based MTK.
Tyson Fury enters the ring prior to the Heavyweight bout for Deontay Wilder's WBC and Fury's lineal heavyweight title at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., February 22, 2020. /CFP
"It's pending, finding a site and a date that's acceptable to both (fighters' camps). We have 30 days from the signing, or the deal could go away," said Top Rank.
"I actually feel we've done the hard part. Speaking for myself, Anthony and his team at 258 management [258 MGT], I know how hard we've worked these last couple of months, and I just feel that this fight is so big it's not a difficult sell. We've already had approaches from eight or nine sites. The offers have come from multiple countries in the Middle East, from Asia, Eastern Europe and America," said Hearn.
All four major world boxing titles – World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC), International Boxing Federation (IBF), and World Boxing Organization (WBO) – will be on the table this time, and the winner claims them all to become the undisputed champion.
Anthony Joshua poses for a photo with the IBF, WBA, WBO, and IBO World Heavyweight Title belts after beating Andy Ruiz Jr. during the Matchroom Boxing 'Clash on the Dunes' show at the Diriyah Season in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, December 7, 2019. /CFP
Since both are British, it will be the biggest fight in British boxing history. Meanwhile, it will also be the largest boxing event since the Fight of the Century between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao in 2015. The first fight is expected to happen in either June or July and in the Middle East and both can earn over 100 million pounds (about $138.2 million).
"This is the biggest fight in boxing and one of the biggest sporting events in the world. It will be a major, major win for a country that wants to showcase itself," said Hearn.