The long-awaited heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua has been signed and will go ahead, according to Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn.

Hearn made the comments after Fury suggested on Friday that the all-British showdown might not happen.

“We’ve signed the contract, we’re waiting for a date,” Hearn said. He added that neither fighter can simply walk away from the agreement.

“The fight’s signed. No-one can pull out of the fight. You can’t just pull out of a contract.”

The bout is expected to take place in November, but the venue remains the main sticking point. The original contract specified the United Kingdom, yet Saudi organisers, Sela are pushing for the fight to be staged in the United States, with Madison Square Garden in New York among the venues being discussed. The contest is also expected to be shown on Netflix.

Hearn said Joshua’s camp would prefer the fight to stay in Britain but would consider a move to America if the terms are right. “We know everybody and his dog involved in the fight wants to do the fight in America. We don’t,” he said.

The two former world champions have been linked for years, and the confirmation that contracts are in place marks a major step towards one of British boxing’s biggest ever fights. Final details on date and location are still being worked out.