Anthony Joshua Accepts Huge Pay Cut to Secure Tyson Fury Fight in UK

Joshua Sacrifices Earnings to Keep Superfight on British Soil

The much-anticipated showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua is confirmed for December 11th at the Principality Stadium. Fans across the UK can finally breathe easy knowing the fight will take place at home rather than abroad, after speculation that Madison Square Garden in New York might host the event.

For Joshua, this means giving up a significant payday. Reports reveal he accepted a pay cut to ensure the fight happens in Britain, despite the possibility of earning more if it were held in the United States. The decision highlights his commitment to making what is arguably the biggest bout in British boxing history a local affair.

The Road to This Matchup

The journey towards this clash has been long and complicated. Back in April 2017, when Joshua defeated Wladimir Klitschko to add the WBA belt to his IBF title, Fury was absent from the sport, struggling with mental health challenges. They almost met at the end of 2020, with Fury holding the WBC title and Joshua regaining his belts, but a trilogy fight involving Deontay Wilder stalled the potential clash.

Over time, the hype surrounding the fight diminished. Joshua lost two consecutive fights to Oleksandr Usyk, losing all his belts, then bounced back with wins over Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, and Otto Wallin. Meanwhile, Fury eked out a contentious victory against former UFC heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou but later suffered back-to-back losses to Usyk. Joshua also suffered a knockout defeat by Daniel Dubois in between.

With no titles on the line and their reputations dipping, the fight seemed less appealing. Yet after Fury's win over Mariusz Wach and Joshua's emphatic knockout of Kristian Prenga, the match was scheduled for the UK, much to fans' delight.

The Cost of Hosting the Fight in the UK

Eddie Hearn, Joshua's promoter, revealed that AJ turned down over £10 million ($13 million) to keep the fight domestic.

• Hearn on Joshua's decision: "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."
• "He asked me, ‘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.’"

Additionally, Turki Alalshikh claimed at a recent press conference that moving the event from New York to Cardiff resulted in losses around £53 million ($70 million).

UK viewers will face a late start time, as promoters aim for a post-midnight kickoff to maximize American TV audiences. Still, it's better than the early-morning hours fans would endure if the fight were held in the US.