A superfight for $37 (£29.95)?
In the United States, that would be bargain. American fans paid close to $100 (£81) for Floyd Mayweather’s fights against Manny Pacquiao and Conor McGregor, after all.
In the U.K.? One outlet called that pay-per-view price “huge.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn said the Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua title-unification showdown, expected to take place next year if they win interim fights, dismissed rumors that the price could be as high as £50 but acknowledged that the £29.95 figure is realistic.
Big fights typically cost around £20 in the U.K. Hearn said Sky Sports sets the price.
“Do I think that’ll go over £29.95? No I don’t,” he said on iFL TV. “But again, this isn’t my decision. I don’t think Sky are looking at this fight thinking, ‘Oh yeah, that’ll give us an excuse to put the price up.’
“Is it the biggest fight ever? Yes. Biggest British fight ever? Yes. But my relationship with the costumers and the fans has to be everything, because I want the longevity, I want the respect and I want your trust, and I want to give you value.
“So I’m not here to come in like a cowboy and go £49.99, see you later, cheers, bye, with a sack of money.’ It’s got to be right, it’s got to represent the value of the product like everything has.
“Maybe Tyson Fury wants it to be £49.99. I don’t think it should be anywhere near that kind of money, and I don’t believe Sky would either.”
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Fury and Joshua have agreed to financial terms on two fights. However, Fury must beat Deontay Wilder and Joshua must do the same against Kubrat Pulev to set up the ultimate showdown. Those fights are expected to happen before the end of this year.
Mandatory title defenses also could complicate things. Fury is due to defend against Dillian Whyte by February, and Oleksandr Usyk is in line to face Joshua.
Fury’s co-promoter, Frank Warren, believes Fury and Joshua could walk away with as much as $140 million (£113 million) each for the two fights combined.