Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua remain stuck in decade-long stalemate

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are no closer to sharing a ring than they were a decade ago, despite another heated ringside confrontation following Fury's win over Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Fury leaned over the ropes and waved Joshua into the ring after his 11 April stoppage. Joshua stayed in his seat. According to the BBC, it was another chapter in the subtle power struggle that has defined their rivalry since they first started circling each other as unbeaten champions. Saudi Arabia's Turki Alalshikh had spoken before and after the fight as if a deal was imminent, and Netflix even posted that the bout was set for autumn before Frank Warren shut it down.

Why Joshua may want an interim bout first

Team Fury claim they have signed the contract. Joshua has not. Backstage, Fury vented his frustration. "He didn't want the smoke," he said, per the BBC. "He came ringside to make the fight. If it was me, I'd have jumped in the ring. Ten years in the making and still there's uncertainty if it's going to happen next." Fury added that if Joshua is not his next opponent, he is done with boxing altogether.

There is logic in Joshua taking a tune-up fight. Fury returned from his fifth retirement with what amounted to a warm-up against Makhmudov, while Joshua has only faced Jake Paul in the past 18 months. Joshua also survived a December car crash that killed two close friends, an ordeal he referenced when questioned about the delay. A lower-stakes bout could allow him to regain his rhythm without the scrutiny that comes with a Fury build-up.

Fury acknowledged Joshua's trauma but dismissed the need for interim fights. "We've all had problems — that's life," he told reporters. "Taking interim fights, you can get chinned by anyone." The pair remain the biggest draws in British boxing, even past their peaks, and Croke Park has emerged as a leading venue candidate if the fight finally comes together.

Source: bbc.com