Tyson Fury wants interim bout before Anthony Joshua clash

Tyson Fury is pushing for another fight before his scheduled 2026 showdown with Anthony Joshua, according to promoter Frank Warren.

Warren told reporters Thursday that Fury has asked for an interim bout rather than sit idle while Joshua takes his own tuneup against Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Riyadh. "Tyson I'm quite sure will have a fight in between; that's what he's asking for, and we'll see where we go from there," Warren said, per ESPN.

What comes between Fury and the Joshua fight

Fury stopped Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11 in his latest comeback from retirement and immediately called out Joshua ringside, urging him not to risk their long-awaited meeting by taking another opponent. But Eddie Hearn made clear Joshua's camp wanted a warmup fight after the December car crash that killed two of Joshua's friends.

The all-British heavyweight clash, signed for the fourth quarter of 2026, has been a decade in the making. No venue has been announced, though the bout is expected to land in the U.K.

Joshua enters the Prenga fight with a 29-4 record and 26 knockouts. Fury stands at 35-2-1 with 24 stoppages.

Source: espn.com