Top Rank’s CEO Bob Arum, who co-promotes WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, believes a potential unification with IBF, WBA, WBO, IBO champion Anthony Joshua could actually happen in the UK.
The fight was in play to take place on August 14th in Saudi Arabia – but then an arbitrator ordered Fury to honor a rematch clause due to Deontay Wilder.
Fury will face Wilder for a third time on July 24th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
And Joshua will defend his titles against mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk on the likely date of September 25th.
Arum does not expect any issues in getting the unification back on track – provided both champions win their upcoming fights.
“There were no break downs between the Fury side and the Joshua side. None. The fight couldn’t be finalized for Saudi Arabia and then the arbitrator in the Wilder situation felt that he could, if he decided the case for Wilder, enjoin Fury from fighting anybody else other than Wilder,” Arum said to Sky Sports.
“But if the contract had been signed, he never would have done it. He might have given Wilder some damages, but he would not have stopped the fight. But again, there was no signed contract for that fight. That’s what happened. It’s as plain and as simple as that.”
And if the fight gets back on track, depending on the COVID restrictions during that time period, the event could possible land in a UK stadium.
“Next time around, if it’s Joshua and Tyson Fury, first of all, where should the fight be held? There’s a big argument that by that time, the pandemic is behind us, we wait until the spring and we do it in Wembley, or one of the big arenas,” Arum said.
“If we wanted to do it in winter, we can do it in Cardiff [Principality Stadium], because 70,000 seats, indoor arena, or it can go to Saudi Arabia.”