London mayor pushes for Fury v Joshua showdown at Wembley

London Mayor Sadiq Khan says he is eager to host the long-awaited Tyson Fury v Anthony Joshua fight at Wembley Stadium and has called on promoters to reach out to his office.

According to BBC Sport, Saudi organisers Sela have already been in contact with the mayor's office in recent weeks about staging the contest at the national stadium. However, sources indicate that organisers and streaming partner Netflix currently favour New York's Madison Square Garden for the proposed November bout, and no detailed discussions on dates or timing for a London staging have taken place.

"A message to the promoters - we want to host it in London. Talk to us, we're really keen to have it," Khan told BBC Sport on Thursday.

A late finish?

Wembley Stadium normally enforces a 23:00 curfew, but Khan has previously said he would back efforts to extend it so the fight could run later into the night or early morning - a scheduling move that could boost the US television audience. Brent Council, which is involved in any approval process, says an extension would need to be reviewed by Wembley's safety advisory group, and how far the curfew could be pushed back remains unclear.

Khan praised both fighters as former world champions who value the loyal support they have received from British fans throughout their amateur and professional careers.

Talks continue

Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn hopes a venue will be confirmed within days, aiming for an announcement this week followed by a news conference next week. Hearn says his side signed a contract committing to a UK venue, while Sela and Netflix would prefer a US location to serve American audiences. He noted Joshua's contract specifically requires a UK venue, meaning a move to the US would require renegotiation - terms for which he says he has already proposed.

Sela's outreach marks a notable shift from late July, when sources close to the mayor said no approach had been made by the fight's organisers. Still, the lack of further progress since then shows Wembley's chances of landing the fight remain far from certain.