Pop star Dua Lipa is not expected to perform at the proposed heavyweight showdown between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury later this year.
The long-awaited all-British bout, targeted for the end of 2026, had briefly been linked to the singer after Turki Al-Sheikh suggested the fight could be at risk without her involvement in the promotion.
It remains unclear whether the remark was serious or tongue-in-cheek, but BBC Sport understands the 30-year-old was approached and declined the invitation.
A venue has yet to be confirmed, though Wembley Stadium in October emerged as the preferred option for organisers.
Big-name music acts have become a regular feature of modern boxing spectacles. Eminem accompanied Terence Crawford to the ring for his welterweight title clash with Errol Spence Jr.. Liam Gallagher performed ahead of Daniel Dubois’ win over Joshua at Wembley in 2024, while 50 Cent featured during Chris Eubank Jr.’s ringwalk for his rematch with Conor Benn last year.
TheTimes Nigeria reports that before any meeting with Fury can happen, Joshua must first face Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia on 25 July. Fury returned from retirement last month with a win over Arslanbek Makhmudov and is considering another outing while waiting for the bout to be finalised.
Promoter Frank Warren warned that a defeat for Joshua this summer would likely derail the long-discussed clash with the Gypsy King.
Talks to stage the fight have repeatedly stalled over the past decade, but if it finally goes ahead, both fighters are expected to secure the biggest paydays of their careers.
