Frank Warren compares Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury in New York to Muhammad Ali and George Foreman fighting in Zaire

FRANK WARREN says Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are just following the money – and the greats – by fighting on neutral territory. The British pair have signed contracts to face off this year but AJ’s deal states the bout MUST take place in the UK. Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have signed contracts to fight Credit: AP But AJ’s deal is for a UK bout while organisers prefer it in the US Credit: AFP Americans Muhammad Ali and George Foreman their their 1974 fight in Zaire Credit: BBC Although organisers including Netflix and Saudi boxing financier Turki Alalshikh prefer a US fight to capitalise on a far bigger US audience. Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has publicly pleaded to keep the clash on home soil. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! But he is negotiating a deal to reluctantly change AJ’s contract to allow for a Stateside fight. Meanwhile Warren – Fury’s long-time promoter – also hopes for a Wembley showdown. But the Hall of Famer argues taking the bout abroad is just following in the footsteps of legends of the past like Muhammad Ali. Warren, 74, told SunSport: “At the end of the day, this fight, if it goes on – and I believe it will – it’ll probably take place in America now. “And it’ll happen and people are going to complain, some quite rightly, because I’d like to see it at Wembley. “But I go back a long way, I think of the great, great fights involving American heavyweights when they were the best heavyweights out there, and fights that have gone down in folklore. Most read in Sport SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET UP TO £100 BONUS The Home of Boxing in 2026 There's a massive year of boxing ahead! It’s shaping up to be a blockbuster year of action inside the boxing ring. The Gypsy King has beaten Mariusz Wach in his second fight of the year to set up a huge fight with Anthony Joshua And AJ did the same, knocking out Kristian Prenga in the second round of a thrilling encounter – the Brit was knocked down twice in the opening round. Now fans are looking forward to Moses Itauma’s return for his toughest fight yet against Filip Hrgovic in August. Here’s all the big fights coming up… August Sat 29 – Moses Itauma vs Filip Hrgovic – DAZN September Sat 12 – Conor Benn vs Ryan Garcia – DAZN *If you click a link in this boxout, we will earn affiliate revenue. “The Rumble in the Jungle in Zaire, Ali v Foreman, two Americans. If you was an American boxing fan, you’re thinking, ‘What are they doing going to Africa?’ “The Thrilla in Manila again, massive big Ali fight. The big fight in Jamaica. Lots of fights have taken place abroad. It’s nothing unusual. “And these guys, at the end of the day, they’re highly paid boxers, but they’re in the most dangerous sport in the world. “I mean, even when Joe Bugner, England’s own, when he fought Muhammad Ali, that was in Kuala Lumpur. “So it’s not unusual, none of this is unusual. No one’s doing anything unusual.” Warren even pointed to footballing stars of the past who took their careers away from Europe to big-spending Saudis or Americans. Moses Itauma vs Filip Hrgovic - all the info Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic face off for the IBF heavyweight world title He said: “Think about where did David Beckham wind up? He didn’t stay in England playing football, he went abroad. Made his money abroad. “Ivan Toney went to Saudi. Same with one of the most famous footballers in the world in Cristiano Ronaldo. “They’ve got short careers, they go where the money is. Whether we like it or not, that’s just unfortunately a fact of life.” Hearn has sent off his contract revisions to Saudi-based entertainment company Sela – who are due to stage the fight. But he has not yet heard back. Joshua, 36, climbed off the canvas twice in his last fight in July to KO Kristian Prenga, 35, in round two in Jeddah. Just 24 hours earlier, Fury, 38, had a more routine seven-round stoppage victory over 46-year-old Polish punchbag Mariusz Wach in Thailand. Fury has poured the pressure on AJ with several social media outbursts and claims to have a back-up opponent on standby in place of Joshua. Warren said the Gypsy King has headed out to Miami to begin his training camp for a November 20 fight – with out without AJ. Comment now