A resolution in the ongoing contract saga for an all-British heavyweight fight between Anthony Joshua and WBC champion Tyson Fury appears to be close, close.
Frank Warren, director of Queensberry Promotions, which promotes Fury, indicated in a recent interview that a key meeting with “television broadcasters” will take place on Monday and suggested that the outcome of that meeting could make or break a deal to see if two of today’s biggest heavyweights will fight in December.
The question of which network will get the rights to broadcast a Fury-Joshua fight is believed to be the biggest hurdle in the negotiations. Fury has an exclusive deal with BT in the UK and ESPN in the US, while Joshua has his own exclusive partnership with DAZN.
It’s unclear from Warren’s interview whether Monday’s meeting involves representatives from both platforms or just BT.
“There’s a meeting on Monday and I think that will be it, one way or another,” Warren told iFL TV. “Hopefully we get through it.
“There is a meeting with the TV stations, so we will see what happens then.”
Warren reiterated that Fury would fight on December 3, even if Joshua doesn’t materialize as an opponent.
“Whatever happens, he is fighting [on December 3rd]Warren said of her charge.
Warren, however, noted that he has a “terrible feeling” that the fight will not take place, a feeling that Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, recently linked to the press.
“We’re only nine weeks away,” Warren said. “We can’t drag this out…it’s not rocket science. It’s not like a 20 or 50 page agreement. It’s a pretty standard deal.”
“Sometimes I have a terrible feeling: I hope I’m wrong, it’s just a game … if he (Joshua) is out, then we have to move quickly,” Warren added.
“There was a lot of excitement to start with and I feel like it faded a little bit. Maybe it’s me being pessimistic.”
