Boxing chief Turki Alalshikh has claimed that Dua Lipa has refused to perform at the Tyson Fury v Anthony Joshua super-fight in a bizarre tirade against the pop sensation during the launch press conference.
On Wednesday evening, Britain’s two most iconic boxers of the last two decades went face to face for the first time since their eagerly anticipated clash was announced last week.
Ahead of the press conference, Alalshikh, who was lauded by Fury, Joshua and many others during the evening for financing the fight, was invited to speak about how the ‘Battle of Britain’ came to be.
New York’s Madison Square Garden and Wembley had previously been billed as potential venues for the ‘super’ heavyweight clash, but it has since been confirmed that the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, will host the contest.
During his explanation of how the venue was eventually decided, Alalshikh took a swipe at Dua Lipa in the process.
He said: ‘I will be honest today, I know that London wouldn’t give me the stadium until 2am, and I know that Dua Lipa will not perform in the stadium, because she doesn’t like boxing, and maybe she doesn’t like me.’
Turki Alalshikh went on a bizarre tirade during Tyson Fury v Anthony Joshua press conference
The boxing chief claimed that Dua Lipa has turned down the chance to perform ahead of the long-awaited bout
Dua Lipa’s representatives have been approached for comment by Daily Mail Sport.
Alalshikh went on to also explain the financial losses that staging the bout in Britain has led to.
He added: ‘Nobody questioned me about UK. I love the British people, I try to deliver everything for them. Put yourself in my shoes; there’s a situation to lose $70million (£52.8m); the best is to have it in a good time zone.
‘I have two reasons, and I know London won’t deliver it; they won’t give me the stadium until 2am… Wales delivered it; it’s still the UK, the town of Ryan Giggs, let’s do it.’
Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has been vocal about his and the two-time heavyweight world champion’s desire to have the fight staged in the UK.
The chairman of Matchroom took his moment on stage at the British Airways ARC to thank the British boxing community for applying the ‘pressure’ to ensure the fight is played out on British soil.
Fury and Joshua faced off for the first time ahead of their super fight on Wednesday evening
‘I’m excited,’ Hearn said. ‘Turki, I know we’ve fallen out, but I promise you this’ll be the greatest night you’ve ever had in boxing.
‘On a serious note, when we talked about this fight, you envisaged it for British boxing. This guy (Joshua) has changed boxing in this country. So has Tyson Fury. We are the envy of the boxing world.
‘We can’t stage it anywhere else. Thank you to the British public for putting the pressure on. We couldn’t do it, we failed.’
