Negotiations for Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua Heavyweight Fight Reach Final Stages
Introduction
Promoter Eddie Hearn has reported that contract talks for a heavyweight fight between British boxers Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are almost complete. The proposed plan includes a warm-up fight for Joshua in July followed by a direct fight with Fury later in the year.
Main Body
On April 11, Joshua attended Fury''s comeback fight at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Fury publicly challenged him. Joshua did not accept immediately. Hearn later clarified that Joshua was focusing on serious negotiations rather than a public show. According to Hearn, although the agreement has not been signed yet, the remaining details of a contract that would commit Joshua to a July fight and then a match with Fury are being finalized. The July event would be promoted by Matchroom, whereas the Fury fight, tentatively scheduled for November, would likely be promoted by Sela, a Saudi company. Saudi adviser Turki Alalshikh is expected to provide funding and decide the venue. Hearn expressed a preference for the Fury fight to take place in the United Kingdom; however, the final decision rests with Alalshikh. Furthermore, Hearn noted that unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk took part in the discussions and recommended that Joshua have a comeback fight before facing Fury. Joshua has been training with Usyk in Ukraine after a car accident in Nigeria in December that resulted in the deaths of two members of his team. Fury, on the other hand, recently won a points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov in his first fight since losing to Usyk in December 2024. That defeat led him to announce his retirement for the fifth time. Fury is not expected to fight again before the proposed match with Joshua.
Conclusion
While a formal contract remains unsigned, the negotiations have advanced to a stage where a timeline and structure for a Fury-Joshua fight have been outlined. The involvement of Saudi funding and the advice from Usyk have shaped the current plan. The outcome depends on finalizing the remaining contractual details.