“What we know is the fight is signed by both fighters,” Hearn said to Fighthype. “Fury’s already said he signed it. We’ve now signed our end as well, so the fight is done. The location of that will be down to Turki Alalshikh.”
While the Middle East has been the bankroll for most major heavyweight bouts recently, Turki Alalshikh has been increasingly vocal about his “friends in Great Britain.” On April 27, when he announced the fight was signed, he specifically addressed the UK fans.
There is a strong sense that he wants to deliver a “legacy” event in London to solidify his reputation as the man who fixed boxing. Staging it at Wembley would provide the atmosphere that a Netflix global broadcast demands. 100,000 screaming fans is a much better look for a streaming debut than a smaller, quieter arena in Riyadh.
Hearn said the decision will come down to business considerations rather than preference, even though a UK setting carries obvious appeal.
“He’s also the one paying the bill,” Hearn said about Turki. “So he has to look at where that fight makes sense for the business. It’s not down to us, or AJ, or Tyson Fury. We signed to fight wherever we’re told.”
The broadcast deal with Netflix changes the math on the location. Unlike a traditional Pay-Per-View, where you need a high gate and Saudi “site fees” to make the numbers work, Netflix wants a massive, cinematic global event. A rainy, high-energy night in a packed UK stadium fits the “event television” mold perfectly.
“Everybody wants the fight to take place in the UK,” Hearn said. “But we’ll see what happens. The fight’s going to be mega, and to do it in the UK would be really special.”
The weather is a massive risk for an outdoor show. If it stays in November, they might be forced into an indoor venue like the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, which has a retractable roof.
“I think that’s about the time frame they’re talking about,” Hearn said. “He’ll fight end of July, have a few weeks off, maybe August, then back into camp at the start of September.”
November is the peak of “Riyadh Season” in Saudi Arabia. It would be the easiest logistical choice for Turki, as he has the infrastructure ready to go and wouldn’t have to worry about the British winter.
