Fury and Joshua set for Wembley clash amid broadcast controversy and scheduling delays
Proposed 2am start time for American viewership sparks debate as negotiations continue to stall over logistics and broadcast rights.
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are scheduled to meet in a heavyweight bout at Wembley Stadium in late 2026, pending victories in their respective tune-up matches. The contest, which would see the two former two-time world champions face off, is contingent on Fury defeating Mariusz Wach in Thailand and Joshua overcoming Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia.
The negotiations have been complicated by a proposal from Saudi matchmaker Turki Alalshikh to hold the Wembley event at 2am to maximise American viewership. This suggestion follows earlier discussions about hosting the fight in the United States, which would have been controversial among British fans. The proposed timing highlights the ongoing misalignment between the two camps regarding commercial and logistical priorities.
Fury’s upcoming bout against Wach will not be streamed live to the general public. The former champion stated that the fight would be exclusive to season three of the Netflix series ‘At Home With The Furys’, with no confirmed release date. This arrangement has raised questions about whether a traditional broadcaster might intervene or if the fight will remain inaccessible until after the main event with Joshua.
Joshua is returning to the ring for the first time since December, following a fatal car crash that killed two of his teammates. His last bout was a sixth-round stoppage of Jake Paul. The Albanian opponent, Prenga, is seen as a necessary step for Joshua to regain competitive rhythm before facing Fury, who recently defeated Arslanbek Makhmudov via points in April.
The path to the Wembley clash has been marked by a near-decade-long history of failed attempts to finalise a contract. Past obstacles included legal threats from Deontay Wilder forcing a trilogy bout and conflicting contract deadlines set by Fury’s camp. It remains uncertain whether Fury will travel to Saudi Arabia to face Joshua or return home after the Wach bout, with final details of the contract still subject to change.
