Early details for Joshua vs Fury super-fight
Anthony Joshua enjoyed a superb win over Kubrat Pulev in December but that’s now yesterday’s fish and chip paper as attention immediately turned to getting the Fury fight on.
Pressure is well and truly on promoters Eddie Hearn, Frank Warren and Bob Arum now, with both fighters and the millions of heavyweight fans around the world now expecting this bout to arrive in 2021.
Both camps have come out and said that it will happen, and talks are underway, it seems.
So, what do we already know about the fight and when we potentially might see it happen?
The Date
There have been all manner of rumours as to when the fight may actually happen, and that ultimately comes down to how swiftly negotiations are completed. Talk from Eddie Hearn has suggested that he’d like to get this fight on twice next year, which would suggest a late Spring/Summer and Winter event, with May looking most likely.
Recent news stories are suggesting that May is the likely month, but there are complications, particularly with the potential Wilder v Fury rematch, which was written into their contract.
Hearn said that it would take a few days to complete the deal, before adding, “We need to write to the governing bodies and say yes we have a deal and we will now talk to the various sites and confirm the dates shortly for what I suppose will be the end of May.
“The only hitch I can think of is [Deontay] Wilder. If the court orders the Fury rematch, and it doesn’t sound as though they will, then it is out of our hands.”
Should that happen, then it’s likely that Joshua will take on Oleksandr Usyk in the summer before a Fury fight in the winter.
The Venue
Both fighters have played their trade abroad in recent years, with the USA and the Middle East having been destinations for previous fights. However, both fighters and their promotion companies are keen to see the first fight of what will likely be a trilogy battled out on home soil.
Wembley Stadium is perhaps the likeliest venue, offering the largest capacity, while Cardiff’s Principality Stadium and the new Tottenham Stadium also candidates, particularly with the latter originally planned as the venue to host the Pulev fight.
Money ultimately talks though, and if there’s an offer big enough, we could see the bout fought in the likes of Las Vegas, Saudi Arabia or New York. What is the likeliest is a combination of the two, starting out at a British stadium before taking the fight overseas to really cash in.
Who is the Favourite?
Plenty of betting pundits are already offering their thoughts on who is the favourite for the fight, and needless to say both promoters are backing their man, with Hearn saying Joshua will go in like a wrecking ball.
However, he is one of only a few that are placing the former Olympic champion as the winner. In fact, the bookies are already offering odds on the fight, with Tyson Fury betting odds on at 4/7.
With talks ongoing it’s perhaps the perfect time to start backing this fight, with plenty of free bets and promotions around Christmas. These free bets are a credit given to players which can then be placed on markets, and such is the profile of this fight you’ll already find match odds, as well as round betting and method of victory.
In the case of the latter a Fury points or decision one is being most favoured at 15/8, while the Joshua win by decision is far less likely than a knockout at 11/2 and 5/2 respectively. Joshua to win is priced at 11/8 in what will be a fight that undoubtedly has a number of twists and turns.