As World Boxing News first reported last week, Eddie Hearn confirmed Anthony Joshua’s rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr. is likely to head back to New York.
Promoter Hearn has named the venue in his list of potential venues for the first time.
Added to that, Hearn has revealed the five dates when the highly-anticipated heavyweight battle will take place.
“The job over the next week is just to finalise the details now of just where and when that will be,” Hearn told Sky Sports.
“I can’t tell you too much. Because I don’t know other than, between November 16 and December 14 will be the date of the fight.”
This gives Joshua November 16, 23 and 30. Plus December 7 and 14 as the only dates on the table.
On where the fight could happen, Hearn added: “We’ve had offers from five different countries to stage the fight. For me, it’s a straight decision between the UK or America.
“In the UK, we’re talking to Cardiff, to Wembley, to Tottenham. In America, we’ve had a couple of approaches, but our preference is Madison Square Garden.
“A sensible man would say ‘Do it in the UK’.
“Anthony feels as though it would be special to rewrite history. (To) get the win at Madison Square Garden.
“It’s really not about the money so much. It’s just about where we believe this fight should take place. Those decisions will be made in the next week.
“He’s going to make the decision at the end of the day, wherever he wants the fight is where it’s going to be. Right now, there’s definitely an element of ‘I feel like I should do it there’.
“We’ve seen him in great performances in Wembley and in Cardiff. It would be a special night to do it there, 80,000, 90,000. It’s the biggest fight in boxing in the moment.
“But like I said, he will be the one who calls the final shots. Once we give him all the information, the dates, the possible venues, he’ll make a decision.
“Right now, I couldn’t tell you what that will be, but I would definitely say it will be between the UK and America.”
MEXI-NO
Any chance Ruiz had of taking the bout to Mexico have seemingly been dashed by Hearn.
Never a likely scenario, ‘The Destroyer’ held talks with the Mexican authorities to drum up financial support to stage the contest.
MSG in New York remains the firm frontrunner though, as Joshua bids to regain his four world title belts.
