Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are set to meet in a highly anticipated heavyweight megafight later this year.
Joshua will return on July 25th in a tune-up fight against Christian Prengga, before facing his great rival Fury.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn posted on social media: “Signed, sealed and delivered! AJ vs. Fury begins!”
He described it as “the biggest business we’ve ever done, but more importantly, it’s what we’ve always wanted.”
“The biggest year of AJ’s career is approaching and the comeback has begun.”
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Tyson Fury grabbed the microphone and loudly challenged Anthony Joshua to fight him next!
Following Fury’s points win over Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this month, he called Joshua and revealed he had signed up for the all-British mega-fight.
Ring Magazine announced in a social media post on Monday that the fight is a “done deal” and will take place in “Q4 2026.”
Hearn previously told Sky Sports that November is the target date for a fight between Joshua and Fury after their return fight in July.
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Eddie Hearn has revealed Anthony Joshua’s plans to fight Tyson Fury.
A decade of missed opportunities – why Joshua and Fury didn’t happen
Joshua and Fury, two of the biggest names in British boxing, have had the best run of the last decade. Fury first became heavyweight world champion 10 years ago by upsetting Wladimir Klitschko. Joshua turned pro after winning gold at the 2012 London Olympics and rose through the professional ranks.
But by the time Joshua won his first world title belt in 2016, Fury had left the sport.
Fury would eventually return and defeat Deontay Wilder to become WBC world champion. Joshua held the unified IBF, WBO, and WBA titles, and the two men were on the verge of fighting for the undisputed heavyweight title.
That was a mistake, and Fury instead had a third fight with Wilder, with Joshua losing to Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian also beat Fury, who retired again early last year.
When Fury returned to defeat Mahmudov in London earlier this month, Joshua was waiting for the all-time winner to return to full training after being injured in a horrific accident that claimed the lives of a close friend and two team members. Joshua is currently in camp, working with former rival Usyk, who backed AJ to defeat Fury.
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‘AJ will beat Fury!’ | Usyk says he ‘helped’ Joshua at camp
There’s one more hurdle to clear for Joshua and Christian Prengga on July 25, when the two rivals will finally meet in the most anticipated heavyweight bout in British history.
The exact date and location of the contest is yet to be confirmed, but it is hoped that matches will once again be played at stadiums in England.
Fury vs. AJ…and a Dua Lipa concert?
Sky Sports boxing expert Andy Scott said:
“If you look at each part of this deal, everyone says the same thing, which is Anthony Joshua will fight Tyson Fury this year.
“I spoke to Spencer Brown from Gold Star Promotions, Tyson Fury’s agent, and he said, ‘Go ahead and check.’
“Tyson Fury has successfully returned from his retirement and confirmed he has signed part of his contract after his fight with Arslanbek Makhmudov.
“I was a little disappointed that Joshua didn’t get in the ring and confirm the fight that night.
“According to Turki, Spencer Brown and Eddie Hearn, the fight is over.
“There’s still a lot of ground to go through. The venue hasn’t been decided, but AJ still needs to experience his return fight. Brown confirmed it’s a two-fight deal.”
“I don’t know if they’re pulling my leg here, but I hear that Turki stipulated that Dua Lipa must perform in the match! If you’re listening, Dua, erase your diary!
“We’re not there yet, but we’re very close now. AJ needs to get through his next fight, then all roads lead to Joshua vs. Fury next year.”
