Tyson Fury has challenged Anthony Joshua to accept the challenge and fight him next.
Fury has revealed that although he has signed on for an all-British megafight, his great rival AJ has not yet agreed to a heavyweight showdown.
“I don’t want to put a deadline on it,” Fury declared. “He either wants to do it or he doesn’t.
“Now or forever?”
Ever since Fury became world champion for the first time in 2015 and Anthony Joshua quickly rose through the professional ranks following his victory at the 2012 London Olympics, expectations for a showdown between the two have only grown.
That fight has been close to happening for years, and after Fury won his comeback fight against Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday night, it looked like it was on the verge of being confirmed.
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Tyson Fury grabbed a microphone and loudly challenged him to fight Anthony Joshua next, but his rival didn’t give him a clear answer.
Joshua was sitting ringside at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but as soon as the fight was over, Fury spoke directly to Joshua, calling for the fight and beckoning Joshua to face off in the ring.
Joshua has not confirmed that the fight with Fury is continuing and did not face off against his rival, but he did not rule out the possibility of it happening.
However, Fury expressed his dissatisfaction, describing it as hesitation. “I was obviously surprised. He was brought to ringside tonight for a reason, to get in that ring and face off and finish the fight. I signed it. I signed it a few months ago. I don’t know if he signed it or not,” Fury said.
“He was very evasive and didn’t give a clear answer,” he continued. “One thing I know: He didn’t say yes.
“In my opinion, he didn’t want to smoke. He didn’t want to. It didn’t look like he wanted to. He was just in shock. He didn’t know what to say. He came to ringside to do the match. If it were me, I would have jumped into that ring, confronted him, and started the match.”
“It has been 10 years in the making, but even after all this time there is still uncertainty as to whether this match will take place next.”
Tyson Fury celebrates end of fight with Arslanbek Makhmudov
Adding to the confusion, broadcaster Netflix posted on social media that Fury-AJ is scheduled to air in the fall.
Fury manager Spencer Brown said: “I don’t know about that.”
“Only AJ can confirm that,” Fury’s promoter Frank Warren said.
“One man is keeping the fight going.”
Frustrated at the post-fight press conference, Fury went so far as to claim: “If it’s not Anthony Joshua next, I have no interest in boxing.”
“If I eat 1,000 Easter eggs and get to 35 stone, I’m done. I’m not interested. It’s either him or I’ll be gone again.”
“Right now all I care about is AJ. That’s a defining fight for British boxing. It’s either going to happen or it’s not going to happen.”
