Wembley dream depends on late start

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua may finally meet in one of British boxing’s biggest fights, but the venue could depend on a problem outside the ring: the clock.

Wembley Stadium remains a possible home for the heavyweight showdown, although organisers want a start time that works for a global television audience, particularly viewers in the United States.

According to Sky Sports, Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh has said the fight can take place in England only if local authorities agree to a later-than-usual schedule.

“I tell you from the beginning, it depends if England give us all that we need, we want the fight here in England,” Alalshikh said.

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“But we want the time zone of all the world, especially in America. If they allowed us to have Wembley late in the night, we want to do it in England. It is about the time and viewership.”

A major obstacle for London

The proposal would be highly unusual for a major British sporting event.

According to TVC News, citing BBC Sport, the fight could take place in the early hours of the morning, potentially as late as 04:00 GMT, if organisers decide to align the main event with prime-time television in the United States.

That would create a major challenge at Wembley, where events normally operate under strict timing rules. Any change to the curfew would need to be assessed by the relevant authorities, including Brent Council and the stadium’s safety advisory group.

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Sources close to London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan were described by BBC Sport as saying the proposal is “doable,” although Alalshikh and his team had not yet formally approached the mayor’s office.

Brent Council also made clear that any exception would need proper scrutiny.

“Any changes to [the curfew] would have to be assessed by the stadium’s safety advisory group of which Brent Council is a partner,” the council said.

Hearn pushes back on US talk

The uncertainty has led to speculation that the fight could move outside Britain, with the United States among the possible alternatives.

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However, Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has played down that idea.

According to BBC Sport’s report republished by Yahoo Sports, Hearn said a move away from the UK would be a major disappointment.

“If he comes to me and says ‘I want to do the fight in America for this reason’, we’ll all be very disappointed because I don’t think there’s a person on the planet that doesn’t think this fight should take place in the UK,” Hearn said.

“But he’s paying the bill and the bill is extortionate, so you’ve got to find a way to make it work. If they want to change anything in the contract, we have to renegotiate the contract and start again.”

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Warm-up fights come first

The proposed Fury-Joshua fight is expected to take place later this year, most likely in October or November, but both men still have business to handle first.

Fury is due to face Poland’s Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand, on 24 July, while Joshua is scheduled to meet Kristian Prenga in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the following day.

A defeat or injury for either fighter would complicate the plans, but for now the long-awaited all-British clash remains alive.

The question is whether Wembley can stage it on boxing’s new global clock.

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