“This is for you. We also have Joshua and Tyson Fury this year. We don’t choose the place until now,” said Turki Alalshikh. “I tell you from the beginning. It depends about England. Give us all what we need. We want the fight here in England, but we want the time zone of all the world, especially in America.
“If they allow us to have Wembley late in the night, we want to do it in England. Now it’s about the time and the viewership. Yes, and the subscribers. We talk to the mayors and Prince Abdullah will try to help and the taxi of London will push.”
Alalshikh’s comments provide the clearest indication yet that Wembley is his preferred destination for one of the biggest fights in British boxing history. The remaining obstacle is securing approval for a significantly later start time than is typically permitted in the UK.
A late main event would allow the fight to air during prime time in the United States, increasing pay-per-view sales and streaming subscriptions while still giving British fans the opportunity to attend in person.
The Saudi boxing chief added that discussions are underway with London officials, including Mayor Sadiq Khan, as his team attempts to make the necessary arrangements.
Joshua is scheduled to return against Arnold Gjergjaj Prenga on July 25 in Jeddah, while Fury faces veteran Mariusz Wach on July 24 in Thailand. Assuming both emerge victorious, negotiations are expected to intensify for the long-awaited heavyweight blockbuster that British boxing fans have demanded for years.
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