Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua still can't agree on superfight

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua remain unable to finalise the fight British boxing has chased for a decade.

Fury beat Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 11 April and called Joshua into the ring afterward, per the BBC. Joshua declined. Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Alalshikh had spoken as if the announcement was imminent, and Netflix briefly declared the fight official for autumn before Fury promoter Frank Warren corrected the record. Backstage, Fury told reporters Joshua "didn't want the smoke," adding that he would have climbed through the ropes himself. Team Fury now claim they have signed the contract while Joshua has not.

Joshua camp weighing interim fight before Fury showdown

There is a case for Joshua taking another bout first. Fury shook off ring rust against Makhmudov after his fifth retirement, while Joshua has faced only YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in the past 18 months. Joshua also survived a December car crash that killed two close friends. "I was in a serious incident maybe four months ago," Joshua said as pressure mounted to accept Fury's challenge. A lower-stakes fight could allow him to rebuild rhythm without the suffocating spotlight a Fury camp brings. Fury acknowledged the argument but warned against delay. "Taking interim fights, you can get chinned by anyone," he said.

Fury stated he has a three-fight deal for 2026 but wants only one opponent. "If it isn't AJ next, I'm not interested in boxing again. It's either him or I'm gone," he told the BBC. The bout would still outdraw most fights on the planet regardless of venue, with Croke Park's 80,000-seat capacity emerging as a leading contender. Fury's return on Netflix — which has 325 million global subscribers — could make the Makhmudov fight one of the most-watched UK boxing events in years. A Fury-Joshua card would generate even greater numbers.

The sport has already lived through Floyd Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao, which shattered records when it finally happened but arrived years too late. Both Fury and Joshua are past their peak, yet the fascination refuses to fade partly because few genuine alternatives exist. The question now is whether boxing will allow an entire generation to close without seeing them share a ring. Fury's next move is expected within weeks.

Source: bbc.com