Fury-Joshua Timeline Shows Years Of Failed Negotiations

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have spent the better part of a decade as the two most marketable heavyweights in British boxing without ever sharing a ring.

The pair have come close to finalizing a bout multiple times, only to see negotiations collapse over purse splits, mandatories, and timing. ESPN chronicled the history of failed attempts to make the fight, tracing the pattern of near-agreements that stretched from 2018 through the present.

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How The Biggest British Fight Kept Falling Apart

Each negotiation followed a familiar arc. Promoters would announce that terms were close, social media would light up with speculation, and then one side would walk away over unresolved financial details or conflicting obligations to sanctioning bodies. The timeline shows at least three separate occasions where contracts were reportedly circulated but never signed.

Both fighters pursued other opportunities during the extended standoff. Fury defended his WBC title against challengers including Deontay Wilder and Dillian Whyte, while Joshua lost and regained his belts in high-profile matchups with Andy Ruiz Jr. and Oleksandr Usyk.

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The fight is now scheduled after years of public and private negotiations finally aligned. Fury and Joshua are set to meet with both men past their championship peaks but still carrying the drawing power that made the matchup a must-see proposition from the start.

Reported via:

• ESPN Boxing — Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua timeline: The near-misses before fight finally agreed