Mike Tyson tells Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua to fight in UK – even though he’d be BANNED from ringside

MIKE TYSON has urged Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua to give the fans what they want a fight in Britain – even if he would be BANNED from going. Joshua has signed to face Fury this year – and his deal states the bout MUST take place in the UK. Mike Tyson pictured with Tyson Fury Joshua’s contract states the Fury fight must take place in the UK Credit: Getty But organisers including Netflix and Saudi fight financier Turki Alalshikh prefer a fight in America to capitalise on prime-time US viewing. Promoter Eddie Hearn is still fighting to keep the Battle of Britain on home soil – but has reluctantly sent revised terms to allow the bout to go Stateside. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! Watch the latest SunSport video series And heavyweight great Tyson – banned from the UK due to his 1992 rape conviction – is in Hearn’s corner as he agrees the grudge match should be in the capital. He told the Daily Mail: “It’s going to be a great fight, it’s going to be great for boxing. “Even though I can’t go – I’m barred from London – I think London should get the fight.” Tyson was released from prison after serving half of the six-year sentence he received for his rape.conviction He fought twice in the UK, knocking out Julius Francis in Manchester in January 2000 before stopping Lou Savarese six months later in Glasgow. But in 2012, the UK Home Office updated its immigration rules to refuse individuals with prison sentences totalling four years or more. Most read in Sport BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS The Home of Boxing in 2026 There's a massive year of boxing ahead! It’s shaping up to be a blockbuster year of action inside the boxing ring. The Gypsy King has beaten Mariusz Wach in his second fight of the year to set up a huge fight with Anthony Joshua And AJ did the same, knocking out Kristian Prenga in the second round of a thrilling encounter – the Brit was knocked down twice in the opening round. Now fans are looking forward to Moses Itauma’s return for his toughest fight yet against Filip Hrgovic in August. Here’s all the big fights coming up… August Sat 29 – Moses Itauma vs Filip Hrgovic – DAZN September Sat 12 – Conor Benn vs Ryan Garcia – DAZN *If you click a link in this boxout, we will earn affiliate revenue. It prevented Tyson from coming to Britain for a 2013 speaking tour. Iron Mike also beat national treasure Frank Bruno twice – in 1989 and then 1996 – when the Las Vegas strip was full of away fans. So he predicts New York – where Madison Square Garden is touted to host Joshua vs Fury on November 20 – will be taken over by travelling British support. He said at a Protein Sliders event in New York’s Times Square: “They’re both English and if they come here, all the English people are going to come anyway. So you’re home already, let’s do it there!’ “Everybody that [wants] to be there, they’re going to come to the United States – it’s going to be full of English people. “It’s just going to be just like it is over there. There ain’t going to be many Americans there because they’ll sell it out. “All the English – very few Americans – sold it out when I fought Frank Bruno.” Joshua and Fury face having to fight in New York Credit: Getty Images Tyson – who was knocked out by Brit great Lennox Lewis in 2002 – added: “It’s going to be a great fight, it’s going to be great for boxing. “And I think they both still have enough in them once they get the desire.” Fury, 38, comes into the bout with a routine seven-round win over Mariusz Wach, 46, in Thailand. But 24 hours later, Joshua, 36, overcame a scare after being dropped TWICE by little-known Albanian Kristian Prenga, 35, in Jeddah. AJ turned it around in the second round with a brutal KO – leaving Tyson confident Joshua still has the heart and desire to fight Fury. The 60-year-old said: “People think they lose because they can’t fight. They lose because they lose their desire. “I’m sure [Joshua] would get back up for this fight. He’s had exciting fights, [recently] the guy dropped him, he got back up and he clocked the guy. “That was very exciting.” Comment now