Anthony Joshua’s team have confirmed they accepted terms set out by the team of Tyson Fury ahead of a potential fight on December 3.
Joshua’s 258 Management and Matchroom stated on social media that communication had been halted due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, and that they were waiting for a response.
Frank Warren, Fury’s promoter, has since replied: “Contract will be with you very soon.”
Fury recently challenged Joshua to a long-awaited all-British showdown and offered the two-time world champion a 60-40 purse after it emerged a prospective undisputed clash against Oleksandr Usyk would likely have to wait until 2023.
The 34-year-old initially highlighted November 26 at Wembley or December 3 at Cardiff as potential dates for the fight.
The Gypsy King marked his UK homecoming with a sixth-round knockout win over Dillian Whyte at Wembley in April, and preceded to reiterate plans to retire before informing the WBC he intended to resume his career at the end of last month.
Joshua, who suffered a split decision defeat to Usyk in last month’s rematch, entered the WBC rankings at No 6 this week.
The pair had been set to fight in August 2021 before plans were scuppered by an arbitration judge ruling that Deontay Wilder was contractually entitled to a third fight against Fury, which the American heavyweight would go on to lose by 11th-round knockout.
A rematch with Dillian Whyte had emerged as a possibility down the line for Joshua following his defeat to Usyk, while Fury was recently challenged by 37-year-old former WBA regular champion Mahmoud Charr. The aftermath of Fury’s victory over Whyte had also seen him express his interest in a potential crossover bout against UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, though that was at a time when the former had been adamant he planned on walking away from the sport.
Fury has no mandatory challengers in place as it stands, with former world champion Wilder, No 1 in the WBC ratings, scheduled to face Robert Helenius in an eliminator and No 2-ranked Andy Ruiz Jr coming off a hard-fought win over Luis Ortiz.
