Families and friends of boxers competing on the Anthony Joshua-Kubrat Pulev bill will get no priority when it comes to buying tickets for the event, according to Eddie Hearn.

The show, on December 12 at the SSE Arena, Wembley, will be the first in the UK to having paying spectators since March, after restrictions on sports were lifted. A total of 1,000 tickets will go on sale on Friday at 10am (GMT), priced between £100 and £1,000 for VIP and hospitality tickets.

But Hearn said he was unable to prioritise anybody for the tickets and beyond boxers’ direct teams, who stay in “the bubble” during fight week. Tickets cannot be resold and anyone who buys a ticket will have to provide identification on the night, as well as provide deals for test and trace purposes.

“It’s tough,” Hearn said.  “I have had people messaging me all day – ‘just hold me four’. Customers and friends who have been buying tickets for years and years. We can’t to it. 

“AXS will be selling the tickets and you have to input your details and provide that on the night. It is out of our hands. 

“We can’t afford to be messing around and making mistakes.  This has all got to be done with a really solid procedure and unfortunately the families of those people will have to go through the normal means.

“It’s not ideal, but nothing is at the minute.”

Those who do get a ticket will be able to buy a beer on the night, although they will have to drink it in their seats.

“There will be a one-way system on the concourse,” Hearn said. “You will not be able to drink your beer standing around have, you will take your drink and go back to your seat.

“It will be the same in hospitality, where they will have a meal beforehand. They will be able to get a drink, but they have to drink it in their seats.”