Eddie Hearn has announced the date for Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight unification fight with Tyson Fury will be August 14th and that it will take place in a purposely created stadium that will “shock the world.”
Currently in Manchester overseeing Joshua Buatsi’s next test against Daniel Blenda Dos Santos, Hearn took a brief moment to address the current situation regarding boxing’s biggest fight and it was good news from the promoter.
"They want to build a new stadium," revealed Hearn to Sky Sports when discussing the plans laid out by those staging the fight in Saudi Arabia. "They have indoors options. In August at 11pm it will be about 23 degrees. They want to create something very, very special. Last time they built a stadium for the Andy Ruiz Jr fight in just seven weeks and it held 18,000.”
With the fight now appearing one step closer, Hearn provided his opinion on Joshua’s preparations ahead of his eagerly-anticipated meeting with Fury. Hearn has guided the 2012 Olympic gold medallist since day one and says his charge is relishing the challenge.
"He's excited because he's never really, apart from the Dillian Whyte fight, been in a trash-talk environment. He will enjoy it. ‘AJ’ has got the bit between his teeth, goading him a bit. I'm sure these two DM each other, goading each other. I get DMs from Fury - sometimes pleasant, sometimes unpleasant.”
Hearn continued, "When the announcement comes and the press conferences start, the pleasantries will go away and it will become personal. It doesn't matter who respects who. Both sides are desperate to win because this is everything.
"There are no fun and games. It's 'them and us'. AJ will go to war with Fury. He has plans to absolutely demolish him. That's what I believe he will do. In the meantime, we will go through the build-up, which will be a lot of fun, before the biggest event of 2021."