Fury Wants New York. Joshua Wanted Britain. How the Biggest Fight in Boxing Got Stuck on Venue

For years, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have talked about fighting each other. Now that the fight is finally close, they have run into an unexpected problem: where to put the ring.

Fury has now announced that his long-awaited fight with British-Nigerian heavyweight Joshua will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York.

His announcement came after days of uncertainty over the venue, with Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn pushing for the fight to remain in Britain. No official fight date was included in Fury's announcement, although November has been widely discussed as the target window.

Why New York Became a Problem

Joshua's side had been working on the assumption that the fight would take place in the UK.

That became a problem when organisers began pushing for Madison Square Garden instead.

Hearn said Joshua was willing to consider fighting in the United States, but moving the bout abroad would require new terms. One of the main concerns was the higher tax burden Joshua could face from fighting in New York.

Hearn had also been waiting for payment relating to Joshua's July fight against Kristian Prenga. That issue has now been resolved, leaving the venue and financial terms as the main obstacle.

By Tuesday, Hearn said the organisers had received his team's terms but that nothing had been agreed yet. He warned that a decision was needed quickly if the November 20 date was to survive.

Then Fury stepped in with his announcement.

Fury Has Chosen the American Route

Fury's decision to reveal Madison Square Garden as the venue changes the tone of the negotiations.

The New York arena is one of boxing's most famous stages, and Fury has now made it clear that this is where he expects the fight to happen.

But there is still a distinction between Fury announcing a venue and both camps publicly confirming every final detail.

Joshua's team had not announced that it had accepted the venue at the time of Fury's post.

That leaves the financial terms and final agreement particularly important, especially because Joshua's original position was that the fight should be staged in Britain.

For Hearn, Wembley remains the preferred option.

For the organisers, New York appears to be the plan.

Nigeria Has Plenty of Reason to Care

Joshua may fight under the British flag, but his Nigerian heritage gives this bout another layer of interest.

He was born in Watford to a Nigerian mother and Nigerian father and has repeatedly embraced his Nigerian roots. That has made him one of the most recognisable Nigerian-linked athletes in global boxing.

A fight against Fury at Madison Square Garden would therefore be watched closely in Nigeria, even though the bout is moving away from the UK.

And the location could make the event even bigger.

Madison Square Garden has hosted some of boxing's most famous nights, including fights involving Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and other heavyweight stars.

For Joshua and Fury, it would provide the setting for a contest that has been discussed for almost a decade.

The Fight Still Needs the Final Green Light

There is no need to pretend the venue dispute never happened.

It was the reason the announcement was delayed in the first place.

Joshua's camp wanted terms that made a move to America worthwhile. Fury and the Saudi-backed organisers wanted New York. Hearn was still talking about Wembley while the clock was running down on a potential November date.

Now Fury has publicly planted his flag at Madison Square Garden.

That puts more pressure on the remaining negotiations.

The fight itself has never needed much selling. Two of Britain's biggest heavyweights, years of rivalry, and a matchup fans have been waiting for since both men were at the top of the division.

The difficult part has been getting everyone to agree on the details.

For now, Fury says the destination is New York.

The next announcement needs to tell us if Joshua has agreed to go with him.