Saudi powerbroker Turki Alalshikh has said the blockbuster heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua could still be staged at Wembley Stadium if British authorities agree to a later-than-usual start time to accommodate a global television audience.
Alalshikh, who is organizing the all-British bout, said he intends to hold talks with the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, and other stakeholders in a bid to secure permission for a late-night fight in the capital, with the contest potentially needing to begin as late as 4am GMT if timed to suit prime-time viewers in the United States.
“I tell you from the beginning, it depends if England give us all that we need. We want the fight here in England, but we want the time zone of all the world, especially in America,” Alalshikh said.
“If they allowed us to have Wembley late in the night, we want to do it in England. It is about the time and viewership. We will talk with the mayors and Prince Abdullah, bin Khaled bin Sultan.”
Also Read: Fulham appoints Álvaro Arbeloa as head coach
In response, a spokesperson for the Mayor of London said the city stood ready to support ambitions to bring the fight to the capital, without directly commenting on whether a later start time would be accommodated.
“London is the sporting capital of the world, and the Mayor is working to bring more of the world’s biggest events to the city. London has staged some of the biggest boxing events in recent history at Wembley Stadium, with record crowds of over 90,000 attending heavyweight contests, including Anthony Joshua versus Daniel Dubois and Tyson Fury versus Dillian Whyte,” the spokesperson said.
Both former world champions are set to return to the ring later this month before their proposed meeting, most likely in November, with Fury facing Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand, on July 24, and Joshua taking on Kristian Prenga in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a day later.
PUNCH
