Tyson Fury says Anthony Joshua fight is off after venue row; promoter disputes claim

# What happened

Tyson Fury announced on social media that his long‑anticipated fight with Anthony Joshua is off, saying Joshua backed out and expressing frustration at continued uncertainty about date and venue. Fury indicated he is prepared to move on rather than continue waiting for a confirmation.

# The core dispute: where the fight would take place

Both sides have discussed staging the bout in major arenas, but they disagreed on the country. Fury and his team, along with some stakeholders, favoured the United States as the location, with Madison Square Garden in New York named as a preferred option. Joshua's camp pushed for the fight to take place in the United Kingdom, with Wembley Stadium discussed as the likely UK venue.

This venue disagreement is described in the reporting as the principal stumbling block that has delayed final confirmation.

# Promoter response

Eddie Hearn, Anthony Joshua's promoter, pushed back on Fury's announcement. Hearn stated that a legally binding agreement remains in place and that Joshua has not withdrawn. According to Hearn, negotiations can still be revived, which contradicts Fury's claim that the fight is off.

# Fury's alternative option

After making his announcement about Joshua, Fury publicly called on Oleksandr Usyk for a third fight. The context given is that Fury lost two bouts to Usyk in 2024, and he has proposed a trilogy meeting, potentially in November, as his next big option if the Joshua meeting cannot be finalised.

# What this means now

There are two competing public positions: Fury's social‑media declaration that the fight is off and Hearn's statement that a binding deal still exists. The immediate status depends on whether the parties can resolve the venue impasse or decide to pursue other opponents and dates. Promoters and venues remain central to whether negotiations can be restarted or the match formally collapses.

# Short timeline (as reported)

• Talks continued for months with date and venue unresolved.
• Madison Square Garden and Wembley Stadium emerged as the main venue options.
• Fury posted on social media claiming Joshua backed out and the fight was off (report dated September 7, 2026).
• Eddie Hearn countered, saying the agreement is legally binding and not withdrawn.

# Practical implications for fans and stakeholders

• If the venue dispute is resolved the fight could still proceed, per Hearn's statement.
• If the dispute persists, Fury appears ready to pursue a third fight with Usyk.
• Outright cancellation would affect ticketing, broadcast planning, and promotional commitments tied to either MSG or Wembley.

# Bottom line