Fury v Joshua closer but hurdles still to clear
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua both won warm-up bouts over the weekend, moving their long-anticipated all-British heavyweight showdown closer, though key details about the fight itself remain unresolved. Fury eased past 46-year-old Mariusz Wach in a low-key, non-televised contest in Thailand, while Joshua endured a far tougher night in Saudi Arabia, being knocked down twice by little-known Albanian Kristian Prenga before turning the fight around to win by stoppage in round two.
With both men victorious and contracts already in place, promoter Eddie Hearn insists the fight is a done deal, reportedly worth around $100million (£75million) to each fighter, and set to be streamed globally on Netflix. However, the venue and date remain undecided: New York's Madison Square Garden in November is a leading contender, while British fans and Joshua favour Wembley Stadium, complicated by its 23:00 curfew and the need to satisfy lucrative American broadcast schedules. Fury also declined to travel to Saudi Arabia for a face-to-face confrontation after Joshua's win, despite widespread expectation that he would.
- Fury and Joshua both won warm-up fights, edging their showdown closer
- Contracts reportedly signed, purses around $100m each
- Venue undecided – New York and Wembley both in contention
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Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are two of Britain's most celebrated heavyweight boxers, and a fight between them has long been highly anticipated by boxing fans worldwide. Fury held the world heavyweight championship from 2015 to 2018 and again from 2020 onwards, whilst Joshua held the same title between 2016 and 2019. A contest between them would represent a rare all-British showdown between two of the sport's biggest names and highest earners.
The two have been discussed as potential opponents for years, but the fight has repeatedly failed to materialise due to competing promotional interests, contractual disagreements and other complications. Joshua's career was disrupted by an unexpected defeat that cost him his titles, whilst Fury's path was interrupted by his retirement from boxing before his comeback. Both have spent recent years attempting to re-establish their standings in the heavyweight division.
Promoters now say they have secured a deal for the long-discussed contest, reportedly valued at around $100 million to each fighter and set to be broadcast on Netflix globally. The main remaining questions concern practical details such as the venue and date, with various proposals under consideration. The fight thus remains in the stage of advanced planning rather than being fully confirmed and scheduled.