BOXING fans could be forced to pay a record pay-per-view fee to watch the potential all-British showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Before their highly-anticipated unification bout, Joshua, 30, is first set to fight Kubrat Pulev while the Gypsy King takes on Deontay Wilder in the third fight of their trilogy.
Tyson Fury’s all-British showdown with Anthony Joshua could cost fans just shy of £50, a new record PPV price
And if both come through those tests successfully then they will go one-on-one to determine the undisputed heavyweight king of the world as part of a two-fight package in 2021.
A 50-50 split agreement was reached last week, although neither side has yet penned the deal with some of the finer details still to be thrashed out.
The Middle East and even Australia have been mooted as venues for the battle as supporters gear up for the highly-anticipated fight.
But World Boxing News claims it could cost us more than ever before to watch it.
They report “a fee of between £29.95 and £49.95 will be considered for the first time on Sky Sports and BT Sport Box Office” for the PPV extravaganza.
That could mean viewers will have to fork out 150 per cent MORE than the previous £20 record it cost for AJ’s rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr in December and Fury vs Wilder II in February.
Promoters for both camps are calling it the biggest heavyweight fight in British history.
And due to the huge purses involved and with all the belts on the line, today’s report states fans should “get used to the fact they will be asked to pay at least £29.95” – a huge 50 per cent rise on the usual fee.
However, it also says “the likelihood is that the price will be even more” than that fee.
Speculation is mounting that both Joshua and Fury will pocket £70million each from their first clash, which “is enough to expect the worst” in regards to PPV fee.
It could also be a possibility that viewers could also be able to buy the contests as a pair in an unprecedented move from broadcasters.
No matter what, it looks like fans will have to fork out a record outlay to witness the history-defining fight, although that figure will not be confirmed until the first press conference to confirm the full details of the epic battle.
Meanwhile both Sky Sports and BT Sport distanced themselves from allegations of a criminal enterprise working on Fury’s fight with Joshua.
WBC king Fury claimed Hearn had brokered the ‘Battle of Britain’ over the phone with reported Irish gangster Daniel Kinahan.
Kinahan has not been convicted of an offence, but was named by law enforcement in connection with gangs.
The Sky Sports offices in Ireland have been targeted with threatening graffiti regarding their relationship with MTK Global, the management firm Kinahan co-created but has no current affiliation with.
Dublin MP Neale Richmond wrote to Sky and BT, who were expected to bid to show the match-up, to urge them to do thorough research on the set-up.
The negative headlines, front page in Ireland for months, have forced Sky to comment.
The broadcaster told Business Insider: “Sky Sports has an exclusive contract with Matchroom Sport and with Anthony Joshua.
“We have not been involved in negotiations for a possible Joshua v Fury fight.
“All our broadcast deals are subject to careful consideration.”
BT Sport, who have broadcast Fury’s last six fights, made an almost identical comment.
They have a deal in place with Fury’s promoter Frank Warren to show his contests.
But a BT Sport spokesman said: “BT Sport is not currently involved in the Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua negotiations.”
Frank Warren says he expects AJ vs Fury to happen abroad
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
