The heavyweight boxing world is holding its collective breath – and Eddie Hearn's got the news we've all been waiting for. The matchmaker extraordinaire, who's steered Anthony Joshua to countless victories, has confirmed that the titanic showdown between AJ and Tyson Fury will only be allowed to shift from Blighty if the US comes knocking with a seriously sweet deal – and one that Joshua's camp is willing to swallow whole.
Despite whispers of a possible Las Vegas switch, Hearn's adamant he's had no official word from Saudi supremo Turki Alalshikh to make the move. In fact, the lucrative cash injection from Alalshikh has made it plain that if a change is on the cards, new terms will be needed – and pronto. And in a reassuring message for Joshua fans everywhere, Hearn's stated categorically that come what may, this UK showdown's going ahead with or without an American twist.
But just to put the cat amongst the pigeons, Hearn's also been defending his team against claims of a UFC takeover – specifically those made by Dana White. 'Zuffa Boxing's got no role in this unless Joshua's camp wants to renege on their deal,' he shot back firmly.
Hearn anticipates that all will be revealed next week, when the various promoters get together for crunch talks with Frank Warren at the table – Fury's man, that is. He predicts '100%' confidence that the bout's going ahead in 2026, providing neither Joshua nor Fury stumbles in their respective fights.
As things stand, Alalshikh's masterminded super-fight will have both camps dealing directly with Saudi reps over their contracts – a situation Hearn explains is to avoid giving one side an unfair advantage. And while it's clear he relishes his high-profile rivalry with Dana White, don't expect any peace-making efforts from the Matchroom man just yet – as far as he's concerned, 'war not peace' is where it's at.