The dream lives on for boxing fans, that long-awaited Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua superfight.
The two British heavyweight behemoths, both two-time world champions, have still to meet inside a professional ring despite many false starts down the years.
Four years ago they had actually signed a two-fight deal with the first showdown set for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in August 2021. But then up popped Deontay Wilder to win an arbitration ruling and force a third fight against Fury. Joshua instead fought Oleksandr Usyk, lost his title belts and that – for the time being at least – was all she wrote.
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Now though, with both out of the immediate world title picture, there are no boxing politics to hold up that megafight we all crave. But there are two other small matters – Joshua (28-4) is currently out injured and Fury (34-2-1) is currently happily retired.
The fight that has to happen
Despite that, the entire boxing world still expects this bout to eventually take place – history tells us it has to. We waited five long years for Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Manny Pacquiao, but when it did finally happen it still broke all PPV records.
AJ is on the way back to full fitness after undergoing elbow surgery earlier this month, while ‘The Gypsy King’ continues to tease a potential return with his cryptic social media videos.
A lot has changed in the four years since Fury and Joshua were set to meet in the Saudi capital – and one of them is the potential venue. Then only the Gulf state could come up with the sort of cash required to stage the bout – remember both men are expected to take home north of £100million.
But now the investment into the wider sport from Riyadh Season (courtesy of Turki Alalshikh and the Saudi General Entertainment Authority) means the Saudis are putting on major shows under that banner all around the world.
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Last September Joshua’s failed IBF world heavyweight title challenge vs Daniel Dubois was brought to you by Riyadh Season in front of almost 100,000 fans at London’s iconic Wembley Stadium. And this September Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford will go down at one of three US locations – Las Vegas, New York or Los Angeles.
Fury vs Joshua in the UK?
It seems as if the global shift for Turki Alalshikh and co also means that Fury vs Joshua could after all take place in the UK – in front of the rabid fanbase that demands this fight. Imagine that, a packed Wembley with 100,000 fans, and likely a million more unlucky punters unable to get those golden tickets.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn spoke about just such an occasion in an interview with iFL TV on YouTube, admitting: “You know, I think that there is probably a general feeling that AJ against Fury would take place at Wembley. You know, and I think that’s great news. Even though it’d be a huge event in Riyadh.”
Though Hearn and Joshua are both desperate to finally make that Fury megafight a reality, the Matchroom supremo admits it is not front of mind right now as his man prepares to return from injury.
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“No one’s been reaching out. You know, I’m seeing all the stuff on social media. I mean, have I mentioned it? Me and Spencer [Brown] and Frank [Warren], George [Warren], yeah, probably, like – but no-one’s talked about a date, a proposal, a deal, and we’re not at that stage yet. So, we’re hopeful that that will happen, but it’s not at the moment.”
While Fury vs Joshua remains a tantalising dream for now, Joshua’s next fight is very much Hearn’s priority, and a two-fight deal with Riyadh Season has been discussed, with potential opponents also mooted.
Next fight for AJ
Hearn said: “When we’re at the Canelo Alvarez fight [vs William Scull in early May] we have meetings with His Excellency. Talked about a two-fight deal. That first fight will take place, you know, anywhere between October and December. I saw the names Dillian Whyte and Jared Anderson mentioned. They were two names that were discussed in probably five or six names. And that’s if it’s not a bigger fight.
“So, if it’s not Tyson Fury or it’s not Daniel Dubois or whatever, then obviously we’re gonna need an opponent. And he’s had the operation now, everything went well. And he’s gonna just rest up and get back into camp.”
There has been talk that Joshua may not fight again until December, but Hearn believes he will be ready before then if the proposal and opponent are right.
“I mean, December’s fine. Like, I think he’d be good to go in October, probably. But, whenever His Excellency, you know, proposes a date, he’ll be ready.”
