Mike Tyson has said he will not be able to attend Anthony Joshua's fight with Tyson Fury if it is held in London, because he is barred from the UK. Despite this, he has backed the British capital to host the bout.
Joshua and Fury are currently contracted to fight in the UK later this year, but broadcasters Netflix and the fight's Saudi backers want to move the clash to New York. Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn have submitted their demands to shift the fight across the Atlantic but are yet to receive a response.
Tyson backs London despite travel ban
Tyson has added his weight to the campaign for a London fight, telling the Daily Mail: "It's going to be a great fight, it's going to be great for boxing … even though I can't go – I'm barred from London – I think London should get the fight."
He added: "They're both English and if they come here, all the English people are going to come anyway. So you're home already, let's do it there! Everybody that [wants] to be there, they're going to come to the United States – it's going to be full of English people. It's just going to be just like it is over there."
"There ain't going to be many Americans there because they'll sell it out. All the English – very few Americans – sold it out when I fought Frank Bruno [in Las Vegas]."
Joshua's financial demands
It is understood Joshua is willing to face Fury at Madison Square Garden on November 20 if he is compensated financially. The former two-time world champion will face a hike in his tax bill if the bout is moved across the Atlantic and wants his purse increased to reflect that.
Joshua is also understood to be owed money from his come-from-behind knockout win over Kristrian Prenga last month. Additionally, promoter Eddie Hearn has sought assurances over ticketing and security for the event.
Concerns over delay
Joshua's demands come after Fury's manager Spencer Brown expressed his concern over the delay in announcing the fight. "Everybody's got a bit of doubt in their mind," he said in an interview with Sky Sports. "There's reasons you could think that. If you'd asked me a week ago, I'd have said no, but now it's a little bit concerning that things haven't progressed down the line. We need to get this fight on."
