British heavyweight Anthony Joshua looks set to headline a major fight at London’s Wembley Stadium in September.
Promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren confirmed on Tuesday that Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s general entertainment authority and driving force behind some of boxing’s biggest fights, intends to host a show in London later this year.
With the biggest heavyweight fights being held almost exclusively in Saudi Arabia in recent times, fans in Britain have been calling for their fighters to appear on home soil more often.
It appears they may get their wish in September.
Heavyweight Filip Hrgovic, who will fight Daniel Dubois on June 1, said he has been told it is likely that the winner of their bout will fight for a world title against Joshua in London.
“The plan is for the vacant IBF title to be on the line against Dubois,” Hrgovic said.
“It should be me against Dubois for the vacant IBF belt. Then the winner should fight Joshua, but you never know in boxing.
“Joshua is the dream fight and I hope I will beat Dubois and then fight him in Wembley in September. That would be perfect.”
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will face off for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18, with a rematch set to follow. However, Hrgovic accepts plans can change in boxing, with fans long calling for a fight between Fury and Joshua.
“I think if Fury wins, he will do everything to fight Joshua next, he won’t want to fight Usyk again,” Hrgovic said.
“If Usyk beats Fury then they will go for a rematch so the winner of me and Dubois will fight Joshua instead. That’s my opinion.”
Warren said he intends for the September bout to be a major event.
“We’re going to do this show at Wembley together and we’ve got to make the books balance. There’s going to be a proper business approach to it and there’s going to be some major fights on it,” Warren said.
Hearn has said he expects Joshua’s next fight to be for a world title, with Dubois or Hrgovic now the likely opponent.
“Yeah it’s been mentioned to me a few times but my team deal with all that stuff,” Dubois said.
“It’s been mentioned and it’s a huge fight a huge opponent for me, the world title as well it’s huge all round.
“Two London boys fighting for the world title that would be mad.”