Dua Lipa has rejected an offer to perform at the highly anticipated heavyweight showdown between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury later this year, potentially complicating the fight's plans.
Fight Agreement Reached
Joshua and Fury have finally agreed terms and signed contracts for a Battle of Britain that has been a decade in the making. However, a date and venue are still to be confirmed. Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Al-Sheikh, the influential power broker who helped get the deal across the line, has hinted it could take place in London.
Warm-Up Fights Ahead
Before the main event, Joshua must come through a warm-up bout against the relatively unknown Kristian Prenga in July. Fury could also take another tune-up fight in the summer, according to his promoter Frank Warren.
Peculiar Obstacle Emerges
A peculiar obstacle emerged this week with reports suggesting Al-Sheikh wants London-born singer Dua Lipa to perform at the event. The Saudi financier is a huge fan and is said to have stipulated her performance as a condition for the fight to go ahead. While it is unclear how serious that ultimatum is, BBC Sport reports that the 'Levitating' hitmaker has declined an offer to be involved after an approach and is not expected to participate.
Previous Musical Acts
Shows backed by Al-Sheikh have featured some of the biggest names in music. Liam Gallagher performed at Wembley Stadium before Joshua's 2024 world title fight with Daniel Dubois. Eminem appeared as a special guest for Terence Crawford's fight the same year, and Busta Rhymes was on stage before the historic undisputed bout between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. 50 Cent also joined Chris Eubank Jr for an iconic ringwalk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of his rematch with Conor Benn last November.
Fight Significance
Joshua vs Fury has persistently fallen by the wayside over the years. While both men are no longer at the peak of their powers, it is still expected to be one of the biggest fights in British boxing history. Joshua has not fought since his December victory over Jake Paul, breaking the YouTuber's jaw in the sixth round. Just days later, the Briton was involved in a fatal car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of his two close friends, Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami. Fury, meanwhile, returned to action after a 14-month retirement in April, comfortably outpointing Arslanbek Makhmudov.
