The long wait for a decisive all-British heavyweight showdown is finally about to end. Tyson Fury has made his position clear ahead of his return to the ring and has called on Anthony Joshua to fight next and avoid any further delays.
Fury is due to fight Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11, but his focus has already moved beyond that fight. After years of failed negotiations, injuries and unexpected losses that disrupted plans, Fury is finally pushing for the fight if both fighters come through in their next bouts.
Tyson Fury urges Anthony Joshua to start fighting now
Fury didn’t hold back when discussing the long-delayed matchup. He pointed to seemingly repeated failures that have stalled the fight over the past decade.
“This fight was supposed to happen a number of times over the last 10 years, but then in the middle of the fight someone gets into another fight, and someone drops out or gets injured,” Fury told ESPN.
He made it clear that he did not want history to repeat itself.
“I think we should get this fight going as soon as possible, just in case something happens in between. The problem is that anything can go wrong in heavyweight boxing; there are no easy fights. And if you get upset, it’s over, that’s it. I want the next fight, and I’m sure AJ feels the same way.”
Fury also discussed the possibility of Joshua facing Deontay Wilder instead. His attitude was straightforward.
“Forget Wilder, the man is a shell of himself; forget anyone else.”
The message is clear. Fury wants no delays, no interim fights, and no distractions from what he sees as the biggest fight available in the division.
The focus will be on Makhmudov before the talks begin
Despite his comments about Joshua, Fury is still preparing for his upcoming fight against Makhmudov. This bout marks his return after a 16-month break from competition.
“Let me go until Saturday, and then we’ll fight before the end of the year. I’ve been out of the ring longer than that [Joshua] Has been out of the ring for 16 months. Let’s do this, let’s dance.”
Fury’s manager, Spencer Brown, also confirmed that the immediate focus remains on the scheduled fight.
“We don’t talk about that business until this fight is over, then we go right back in and talk about business.”
Brown said that once the fight is completed and Fury is successfully presented, discussions will begin without delay.
“Once the fight is over and Tyson wins and everybody’s happy, his family is happy, and he’s happy, let’s move on. Let’s watch the fight. I like Anthony Joshua. I like AJ, I like Tyson Fury. We’re Team Fury.”
Heavyweight division waiting to ramp up momentum for showdown
A potential fight between Fury and Joshua has been discussed for years. Both fighters held world titles at different times, but timing issues have consistently prevented a deal.
Brown believes the fight will happen, only the details remain to be sorted out.
“Let’s watch this fight. The World Cup final of boxing. It’s bigger than that… so let’s watch it. I know where my money is on.”
He said that now the main question is about time and place and not whether there will be a fight or not.
“I just feel like we’re going to see it. It’s not a question of when, it’s a question of how and when. Where will it happen?”
Possible venues have already been discussed, including large stadiums in the United Kingdom. Hopefully the scale of the event will match the long anticipation surrounding it.
Fury enters his next fight with a record of 34-2-1, while Makhmudov is at 21-2. Joshua has not fought since December 2024 but has been linked to other potential bouts.
If all parties move forward without setbacks, the long-awaited clash between Fury and Joshua could finally take place before the end of the year.
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