AJ v FURY... SAUDI FAVOURITE

Middlesboro’ v Preston 7pm

Eddie Hearn says they are now working on the venue.

Talks have been going on with various countries around the world for months, with Saudi Arabia favourites because of the massive site fees they can offer.

Hearn (right) wants the venue sorted by the middle of next month to allow the clash for the undisputed world heavyweight title to take place on either June 26 or July 3. The purses for the first fight will be split 50-50 with the rematch 60-40 in favour of the winner.

It is understood Sky Sports and BT Sport will each screen the contest on their pay-payview platforms at a price of at least £29.95. “The hard part is always getting everybody to put pen to paper,” said Matchroom MD Hearn. “You had rival promoters, rival networks and rival fighters. Now it’s our job, with the two teams, to go out and present the options and the sites to the fighters for them to agree which one to take.

“We want to make the fight in June or early July because we want to do two this year so I would say we need to agree on a venue in the next 30 days. Saudi is a definite possibility, but there are a number of conversations with at least half a dozen countries.”

NEIL WARNOCK doesn’t have a clue which Middlesbrough will turn up for tonight’s game against Preston.

They face Alex Neill”s side on the back of a moraleboosting 3-0 win over Stoke but Warnock’s seen enough of his rollercoaster team to know that offers no guarantees.

And with the play-offs looking a long-shot, he’s warned his squad he’ll crack down hard if they show the same inconsistency next term.

“I don’t want to be in a situation when I don’t know which Boro will turn up,” said Warnock (above). “I need to be able to trust them every week. That means getting them on the same wavelength as myself and if they can’t do that, then we replace them.”

Djed Spence picked up a knock and Darnell Fisher may get a call.