London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has expressed support for Wembley Stadium to stage the long-awaited heavyweight super-fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua later this year. However, Saudi financier Turki Alalshikh indicated earlier this week that a London fight would have to start as late as four o'clock in the morning to accommodate global television interests, particularly those in the United States.
Curfew Extension Considered
It is understood that the Mayor's office is open to extending the stadium's current curfew, but the promoter's team has yet to make any formal contact with authorities. A spokesperson for the Mayor of London stated: "London is the sporting capital of the world and the Mayor is working to bring more of the world's biggest events to the city. London has staged some of the biggest boxing events in recent history at Wembley Stadium, with record crowds of over 90,000 attending heavyweight contests including Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois and Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte."
Mayor's Readiness to Support
The spokesperson added: "Sadiq has made clear that London would be the perfect place to stage the long-awaited bout between Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury and the Mayor stands ready to support ambitions to bring the event to our capital as we build a better London for everyone." Technically, Brent Council, within whose jurisdiction the stadium sits, would make the decision on any prospective application, but Khan is clearly ready to rubber-stamp any such proposal.
Time Zone Challenges
Some sources have suggested the fight would have to start as late as four o'clock in the morning in the UK, making Las Vegas, which has shown an interest in staging the fight, the front-runner. Alalshikh said earlier this week: "We want the fights here in England, but we want the time zone and the time zone of all the world, especially in America."
Upcoming Comeback Fights
Before the fight is announced, both men must come through comeback fights this month. Fury faces Mariusz Wach in Thailand on July 24, and Joshua fights Kristian Prenga in Jeddah the following night.
