Tyson Fury claims Anthony Joshua fight in serious doubt after his British rival asked 'for more money'
Tyson Fury has cast doubts over the Anthony Joshua fight after claiming on social media his British rival has asked for 'more money'; Fury and Joshua have been negotiating a fight that could happen in November at Madison Square Garden in New York
Friday 21 August 2026 13:29, UK
Tyson Fury has claimed his fight against Anthony Joshua is now in serious doubt after his British heavyweight rival asked for 'more money'.
Fury and Joshua have been holding talks about staging their long-awaited fight in November, with Madison Square Garden in New York emerging as the likely location.
But Fury has suggested in a social media video the blockbuster bout could fall through due to Joshua's request for a bigger fight purse.
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Sky Sports understands Joshua has signed a contract for the fight and Matchroom are still working towards an announcement.
"Quick update for you. It doesn't look like they are going to sign the fight and it doesn't look like it is going to happen all because [Joshua's promoter] Eddie Hearn and that want more money," Fury said.
"They have already had that much money off Turki (Alalshikh) over the last few years Eddie and AJ, they have had boxing deals, they have had darts deals, they have had snooker deals, they have had everything.
"And yet, they have got the audacity and cheek of flea-bitten rats to ask for more money from old Turki that you have had combined over the last couple of years.
"Keep on running you cowards."
Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed the original fight contract stipulated that the bout would be staged in the UK.
Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith had told Sky Sports earlier this week it was a 'critical week' for negotiations but he was optimistic about an agreement.
"It will be disappointing for it not to be in the UK, but at the same time if it means seeing the fight, we all want to see that fight happen," said Smith. "Let's see how things play out.
"We're following the terms of what we signed up to right now, which is a fight in the UK. That is what we signed up to and when the fight was announced in March, April time, the fight was signed, those were the terms we signed up for.
"They are the conversations really that are taking place right now. MSG is a proposed venue that they would like to look at, i.e The Ring Magazine, Saudi delegation, so let's see.
"I think November is possible. Later in November is possible, but again the next seven to 10 days, a lot of progress has got to be made in order to make that happen to get [fighters] into camp to give yourself that eight-to-10-week period, a dedicated camp away from all the promotional obligations."
Joshua and Fury were unable to agree terms in 2021 and fight plans fell apart after a US judge ruled Fury had to face Deontay Wilder in a trilogy fight instead.
Fury's manager Spencer Brown has told Sky Sports he was uneasy about the delay in announcing the Joshua fight.
"Everybody's got a bit of doubt in their mind," he said. "There's reasons you could think that.
"If you'd asked me a week ago, I'd have said no, but now it's a little bit concerning that things haven't progressed down the line. We need to get this fight on."
