“I stand by what I said. These two guys, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, they owe it to the fans of the UK to have that fight in the UK,” said Mannix on his podcast.
“If it does, I’m going to keep saying this over and over again. This fight belongs in the UK. The biggest fight in British boxing history belongs on British soil.
“And if it’s not, it is a slap in the face to everyone that’s been a British boxing fan that has supported Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury over the years.”
Former junior middleweight world champion Sergio Mora agreed with Mannix’s assessment, arguing the commercial benefits of taking the fight to America should not outweigh the wishes of British supporters.
“It does belong in the UK. It doesn’t belong anywhere else. Whoever else thinks it belongs in the States. I don’t get it. I don’t see it,” said Mora.
“If it’s a money grab, then let’s call it what it is because it has nothing to do with giving back to the fans or giving back to the sport. It’s all greed. It’s all money.”
The debate comes as negotiations continue over Joshua and Fury’s long-discussed showdown, with the location still unresolved. Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh recently said no decision has been made on a venue, while multiple promoters remain involved behind the scenes.
A U.S. venue would likely generate a larger gate and attract significant international attention, particularly if the fight lands on a global streaming platform. A British stadium, however, would deliver one of the sport’s biggest atmospheres and reward the fan base that followed both fighters from the beginning.
With discussions continuing, the venue remains one of the biggest unresolved issues surrounding what is still expected to become one of boxing’s richest events.
