Dua Lipa responds to Joshua vs Fury request that could scupper fight plans

Dua Lipa has rejected an offer to perform at the heavyweight showdown between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury later this year.

Joshua and Fury this week agreed terms and signed contracts for a Battle of Britain between the two giants that has been a decade in the making.

A date and venue are still to be confirmed although Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Al-Sheikh, boxing’s influential power broker who helped get the deal across the line, has hinted it could land in London.

Joshua must also come through a warm-up bout against the little-known Kirstian Prenga in July. Fury could also take another tune-up bout in the summer, according to his promoter Frank Warren.

Another peculiar obstacle emerged this week with reports suggesting Al-Sheikh wants London-born singer Lipa to perform on the show.

The Saudi financier is a huge fan and is said to have stipulated she needs to perform at the fight if it is to go ahead.

While it is unclear how serious that ultimatum is, BBC Sport report the ‘Levitating’ hitmaker has declined an offer to be involved after an approach and is not expected to be involved.

Shows backed by Al-Sheikh have brought in some of the biggest names in music with Liam Gallagher performing at Wembley Stadium before Joshua’s 2024 world title fight with Daniel Dubois.

Eminem appeared as a special guest artist for Terence Crawford’s fight the same year with Busta Rhymes was on stage before the historic undisputed bout between Arthur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.

50 Cent meanwhile joined Chris Eubank Jr for an iconic ringwalk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of his rematch with Conor Benn last November.

Joshua vs Fury has persietently fallen by the wayside over the years and while both men are no longer operating at the peak of the 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.

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