Turki Alalshikh’s revelation that 700,000 people were queuing for Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua tickets has sparked a furious response from British boxing fans, with Dana White and the original plans to stage the fight in America coming under fire.
The extraordinary demand for the December 11 showdown at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium has justified Eddie Hearn’s determination to keep the all-British heavyweight contest on home soil.
Tickets reportedly sold out within an hour of Friday’s general sale, with Alalshikh celebrating the numbers on social media.
“Fury v AJ – we knew this fight would be HUGE but currently 700k people in queue for tickets !! over 500k on Ticketmaster, over 170k on stadium website,” Alalshikh posted.
The figures represent online queue entries rather than confirmed individual buyers or sales, but the demand demonstrated the enormous British appetite for a fight discussed for more than a decade.
However, supporters were quick to remind Alalshikh of the original American venue plans.
“This proves one thing stop listening to Dana White he doesn’t know sh** about boxing,” wrote one.
Another fan aimed criticism directly at Alalshikh.
“Yet you tried to take it to a 20.000 seater in America, you fool.”
A third supporter questioned why the fight had ever been considered for the United States.
“And you wanted to do it outside of the UK. Would’ve sold Wembley times times over, instead you’ve bowed down to the American’s and put it on at there time, when the British are the ones who run this game.”
Hearn’s Fight for Britain
The backlash follows a lengthy dispute over where Fury and Joshua should finally meet.
Madison Square Garden in New York had emerged as a proposed destination, but Hearn and Joshua resisted attempts to move the contest away from Britain.
Hearn publicly campaigned for Wembley Stadium and announced in September that negotiations had reopened following considerable support from British fans.
“You have been heard and talks have now re-opened for Wembley,” Hearn said.
The Matchroom chairman subsequently claimed Joshua had rejected substantially more money to fight in America, insisting that the former heavyweight champion wanted the contest staged in Britain.
Cardiff eventually secured the event, with the stadium’s roof and facilities helping accommodate the late start required for American television audiences.
The scale of demand has now strengthened Hearn’s original argument.
WBN View
The extraordinary demand has fully justified the decision to stage Fury vs. Joshua in Britain.
Those who pushed to take this particular fight to America now face the wrath of the UK and must own the claims that they are bereft of knowledge about the market they were dealing with.
This was never an ordinary international boxing promotion that could simply be moved to whichever city offered the most attractive deal.
It was a British sporting event involving two British heavyweights, built on years of rivalry and anticipation among supporters who wanted to witness it in their own country.
Eddie Hearn understood that, Anthony Joshua insisted upon it, and the British public has now proved their point.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read full bio.
0 Comments