Fury and Joshua set for biggest paydays in their careers

Promoter Frank Warren has said that Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will earn the biggest paychecks of their careers when they finally face off on Friday, December 11, at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.

This fight, supported by Netflix and Saudi financier Turki Alalshikh, comes after years of failed talks and delays. Issues over where to hold the fight and the involvement of UFC boss Dana White had almost stopped the match from happening as recently as this year.

Warren, who has promoted fights for nearly 50 years, told SunSport that the money involved was too big for the fight to fall through again.

"We nearly did it a couple of times, and it just did not happen for various reasons. This time round, I thought we had done it, then with some of the personalities and what was going on with them, I had a couple of hesitations about whether it would happen. But when you look at the money these fellows are getting paid, it is phenomenal money. If they did not do it, they would be crazy. It is huge, huge purses. Massive money. The highest of their careers, I should think the highest of any British fighter’s career, ever," Warren said.

Netflix wanted the fight to take place at Madison Square Garden in New York with White's support, but Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, stood firm. He pointed out a legally binding contract that required the fight to happen in the UK without White involved. Warren then helped finalize a deal with the 70,000-seat Principality Stadium. Reports say they are also negotiating the ring-walk time to be between one and two in the morning to suit a prime-time audience in the United States.

"Look at the World Cup just gone. Some of those matches, what time were they on at night from America? We are a global village now, so you have got to try and hopefully accommodate everybody. I know it is going to upset a lot of people, but the only reason this fight is on is because somebody has put up the money for it, and the person who has put the money up for it deserves to get something from it.

They are taking the risk, and they are putting up a phenomenal amount of money," he said.

Warren, who has supported Fury during much of his rivalry with Joshua, believes Fury will win the fight.

"I think he will knock him out. Styles make fights. They are older fighters, I think Tyson has worn better than AJ. All Tyson has got to do is watch the fight he had with Daniel Dubois. I said when I made the Dubois fight that he would knock him out, and he nearly knocked him out in the first round with a jab. He is a good finisher, Tyson, he is strong. What Tyson has got is a great chin. You get caught, you go down. All the fighters through history, the Muhammad Alis, the Fraziers, the Foremans, they have all been on the floor. The good ones get up, who can take the shots, they get up and do it. Tyson has done that time and time again," he said.

This December fight is part of a busy boxing schedule before the year ends. Ben Whittaker will face Conor Wallace on October 3, Daniel Dubois will meet Fabio Wardley in a rematch on October 17, and Canelo Alvarez will take on Christian Mbili on October 31, all leading up to the Fury-Joshua showdown in December.