Saudi organisers want to build a new stadium to host the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua superfight this summer.
The two British world heavyweight champions are set to lock horns in the Middle East territory on Saturday August 14. The winner will be the first undisputed champion in boxing’s marquee weight class since Lennox Lewis back in 1999.
With a reported $150million (£107million) site fee about to change hands, the Saudis obviously want to make it a memorable event. And Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn says that extends to the venue itself.
Saudis want something special – Hearn
He told Sky Sports: “They wanna build another stadium. They’ve got also indoors options but August is about 23 degrees at 11pm, it’s quite warm. But they want to create something very very special.
“You remember last time they built the stadium for the Andy Ruiz fight (in December 2019) in just seven weeks, that held 18,000. And this will be a similar setup.
????️ "THEY WANT TO BUILD ANOTHER STADIUM" ????️@EddieHearn gives an update on the venue for the @anthonyjoshua @Tyson_Fury fight and says that they want to create something very special ???????? pic.twitter.com/iGOmyMxM9q
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) May 13, 2021
“They have the opportunity to hold it indoors, but they want to create something that is going to just shock the world here, and they want to if they can try and build another stadium just for this fight.”
Announcement expected
We are still waiting for official confirmation that the date and location are set in stone. But Hearn revealed Saudi was the likely venue earlier this week, and Frank Warren said August 14 was the planned date.
Both sides appear supremely confident that the deal will get across the line after weeks of tense negotiations, and that the announcement will come in the next few days.
Fury (30-0-1) and Joshua (24-1) are expected to earn around $100million each for their August meeting. They have signed a two-fight deal with an immediate rematch expected hopefully before the end of 2021.
The TV details for the fight are still to be finalised. Sky Sports and BT Sport are expected to share the UK pay-per-view rights.
