Tyson Fury confirms fight with Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia and vows to smash AJ in 'biggest sporting event ever'
Promoter Eddie Hearn said this week that Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury had finalised the date for their undisputed heavyweight championship clash and will meet in a specially-created stadium; Fury says: "I cannot wait to smash Anthony Joshua on the biggest stage of all time"
Monday 17 May 2021 08:16, UK
Tyson Fury has confirmed he will fight Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia on August 14 to become undisputed heavyweight champion and promised it will be "the biggest sporting event ever to grace the planet earth".
Promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports this week that Joshua and Fury had finalised the date for their undisputed heavyweight championship clash and will meet in a specially-created stadium.
Joshua's IBF, WBA and WBO belts and Fury's WBC title will all be at stake to decide the division's No 1.
Fury, in a video posted on his Twitter account, confirmed the fight, saying: "Got some massive news for you all guys.
"I've just got off the phone from Prince Khalid of Saudi Arabia, he's told me this fight is 100 per cent on.
"August 14, 2021, summer time - all eyes of the world will be on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
"And I cannot wait, repeat, cannot wait, to smash Anthony Joshua on the biggest stage of all time.
"This is going to be the biggest sporting event ever to grace the planet earth. Do not miss it. All eyes on us."
- AJ vs Fury 'a done deal' | venue to 'shock the world'
- 'How much does Buatsi want it?'
- Vicious Buatsi knocks out Dos Santos
Plans for a fight between the pair were set in motion when Fury defeated Deontay Wilder to capture the WBC title in February last year, just a couple of months after Joshua avenged his only career loss to Andy Ruiz Jr.
Joshua retained his three belts last December with a ninth-round knockout of mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev but the unbeaten Fury's planned trilogy fight against Wilder has failed to materialise.
A proposed homecoming against Agit Kabayel in December was scotched, meaning Fury, who proclaims himself as the lineal champion in the division, has not fought in more than 12 months since stopping Wilder in Las Vegas.
Hearn: They want to create something that will shock the world
Hearn this week told Sky Sports about the "special" plans organisers in Saudi Arabia have for the event, as they look to create a purpose-built stadium for the fight to "shock the world".
"They want to build a new stadium," Hearn told Sky Sports about the hosts in Saudi Arabia. "They have indoors options. In August at 11pm it will be about 23 degrees.
"They want to create something very, very special. Last time they built a stadium for the Andy Ruiz Jr fight in just seven weeks and it held 18,000.
"This will be a similar set-up.
"They have the opportunity to hold it indoors but they want to create something that will shock the world. They want to build a stadium just for this fight."