Sadiq Khan Advocates for Fury-Joshua Fight at Wembley
London’s mayor has stepped firmly into the ring.
Sadiq Khan has thrown his weight behind a bid to stage the long-awaited Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua showdown at Wembley Stadium, urging promoters to bring the all-British blockbuster home rather than let it slip across the Atlantic.
“A message to the promoters – we want to host it in London. Talk to us, we're really keen to have it,” Khan told BBC Sport, making his move as the venue race tightens.
London vs New York
BBC Sport understands Saudi events company Sela, which is driving the project, has approached the mayor’s office in recent weeks about using the national stadium. The interest is real. The detail is not.
While City Hall has been sounded out, sources close to the talks say discussions over a London staging have stalled, with no concrete negotiations yet on dates, timings or logistics.
That hesitation comes against a powerful rival bid. Organisers and broadcaster Netflix are understood to favour Madison Square Garden for a November bout, a choice that would plant one of the biggest fights in British boxing history in the heart of New York rather than under the arch at Wembley.
The momentum, for now, leans towards Manhattan.
Curfew, cameras and the clock
If London is to claw it back, the battle will not only be commercial. It will be against the clock.
Wembley’s standard curfew is 23:00. That cut-off has long been a hurdle for major late-night events, particularly those chasing prime-time audiences in the United States. Khan has previously signalled he would back efforts to accommodate a mega-fight, including a late start to suit American broadcasters.
A ring walk in the early hours in London could land in the sweet spot for US viewers, a key factor for Netflix and international rights holders.
Any extension, though, sits with Brent Council and Wembley’s safety advisory group. The local authority has made it clear that a later finish would need formal assessment, with no guarantee yet on how far the curfew could realistically be pushed.
For now, that remains a crucial unknown.
“We, the fans, want to see them box live in London”
Khan has framed the fight as a national occasion as much as a sporting event. Two British heavyweights, both former world champions, both with deep roots in UK boxing, meeting on home soil.
“Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are two great British boxers. Both have been world champions,” he said. “They both recognise and love the fans in this country who have supported them throughout their careers, amateur and professional.
“Wembley has hosted many fantastic events, including bouts involving Tyson and Anthony. We, the fans, want to see them box live in London.”
It is an emotional pitch as much as a political one: the idea that a Fury-Joshua clash belongs in the city that has already staged some of their biggest nights.
Decision time approaching
Behind the scenes, the clock is ticking just as loudly as any ringside bell.
There is growing hope that the venue will be settled in the coming days. Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has publicly pushed for an announcement this week and is already talking about a news conference next week once the location is locked in.
Sela, the Saudi organisers at the heart of the negotiations, have been contacted for comment.
For London, the equation is stark. If Khan’s intervention, Wembley’s pulling power and the promise of a vast home crowd can’t tilt the balance now, the most anticipated all-British heavyweight fight of this era may well unfold under the lights of Madison Square Garden instead of beneath the Wembley arch.
