Tyson Fury calls out Anthony Joshua after Makhmudov win

Tyson Fury called out Anthony Joshua for an all-British heavyweight clash moments after beating Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 11 April, but the fight remains unsigned and disputed according to multiple reports.

Fury leaned over the ropes after his dominant twelve-round win and beckoned Joshua toward the ring, the BBC reported. Joshua stayed seated. Netflix then announced the fight for autumn in the UK on social media, only for Fury's promoter Frank Warren to immediately deny that any deal had been finalised. Team Fury now claims they have signed the contract while Joshua has not, per the BBC's coverage.

Fury ultimatum and Joshua's trauma

Backstage after the win, Fury told reporters he would only fight Joshua next or retire from the sport entirely. "If it isn't AJ next, I'm not interested in boxing again. It's either him or I'm gone," he said, according to the BBC. He added that Joshua "didn't want the smoke" and questioned why his rival refused to climb into the ring when challenged.

Joshua referenced a December car accident that killed two close friends as part of his deliberation over the fight. "I was in a serious incident maybe four months ago," he told viewers, per the BBC. Fury acknowledged the tragedy but pressed that interim fights carry their own risks. "We've all had problems — that's life," Fury said. "Taking interim fights, you can get chinned by anyone."

The long-anticipated Fury-Joshua fight has been discussed for over a decade without materialising. Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Alalshikh appeared to expect an announcement on fight night, the BBC noted, but the blame game between camps has resumed. Croke Park in Dublin has emerged as a possible venue if terms are agreed.

Source: bbc.com