Anthony Joshua has accepted ‘all terms’ of Tyson Fury’s fight offer and is planning to meet his heavyweight rival in the ring on December 3.
World heavyweight champion Fury made the surprising decision to offer British rival Joshua a shot at his WBC title last week.
Joshua failed to recapture the unified heavyweight titles last month as he was beaten for the second time by Oleksandr Usyk.
Despite Joshua’s stock falling further by his third professional defeat, Fury is determined to fight before the end of the year and knows the boxing fraternity are desperate to see him face his fellow Brit.
Joshua was said to have accepted The Gypsy King’s offer of 40 per cent of the fight purse – thought to be worth £75million – but discussions over a fight date rumbled on throughout the week.
Fury offered up two dates – November 26 and December 3 – but Joshua’s team were keen to wait until December 17.
However, those issues have now been ironed out, with Joshua’s management company 258 MGT confirming they have accepted ‘all terms’ of Fury’s offer.
A statement said: “258 and Matchroom Boxing can confirm, on behalf of Anthony Joshua, that we accepted all terms presented to us by Fury’s team for a fight December 3.
“Due to the Queen’s passing, it was agreed to halt all communication. We are awaiting a response.”
Fury’s UK promoter, Queensbury Promotions boss Frank Warren, added that Joshua would receive a contract for the fight ‘very soon’.
Fury and Joshua looked set to fight last year while Joshua was still IBF, WBO and WBA heavyweight champion.
The winner would have been crowned the division’s first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis, but the fight fell through after Deontay Wilder won an appeal to enforce a third fight against Fury.
Fury, 34, beat Wilder for a second time and returned to the ring in April when he knocked out Dillian Whyte at Wembley.
Confirmation of the Joshua-Fury fight comes after Fury’s US promoter Bob Arum suggested Joshua’s team would dodge the bout.
“I don’t think it’s gonna happen because, while Fury would want it to happen, I put myself in the shoes of Eddie Hearn and Joshua, ”Arum told Boxing Social. “And after losing twice to Usyk, the first thing you want to do is to get him back in the ring and get him two fights where it restores his confidence. If he goes back in the ring now with Fury, it’s gonna be a massacre.”