Fury-Joshua fight stalls as contract dispute drags on

Tyson Fury says he has signed a contract to face Anthony Joshua this autumn, but the biggest fight in British heavyweight history remains unsigned on Joshua's end, prolonging a saga that has now stretched across a full decade.

After stopping Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11, Fury leaned over the ropes and beckoned Joshua into the ring. Joshua stayed in his seat. Hours later, Fury told reporters backstage he had inked the deal and placed the blame squarely on his rival. "He didn't want the smoke," Fury said, per the BBC. "Ten years in the making and still there's uncertainty if it's going to happen next."

Why Joshua may need a tune-up fight first

One complication is ring rust. Joshua has fought just once in the past 18 months, a novelty bout against Jake Paul, while Fury worked 12 rounds against a live puncher in Makhmudov. Joshua also survived a December car crash that killed two close friends, a tragedy that visibly shook him. Taking an interim contest before stepping in with Fury could restore rhythm without the suffocating build-up that comes with an all-British blockbuster.

Fury dismissed the idea. "Taking interim fights, you can get chinned by anyone," he said. He went further, threatening to walk away from the sport entirely if Joshua is not next. "If it isn't AJ next, I'm not interested in boxing again. It's either him or I'm gone."

Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh spoke before and after the Makhmudov fight as if a deal was imminent, and Netflix mistakenly announced the contest on social media before promoter Frank Warren corrected the record. Croke Park in Dublin has emerged as a leading venue candidate. The fight would still outdraw nearly anything else on the calendar despite both men being past their peak, but the sport has already watched Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao wait too long. If it happens at all, a formal announcement is expected within the next few weeks.

Source: bbc.com