Anthony Joshua has suggested a long-awaited domestic battle with Tyson Fury could be in the pipeline following a recent interview on ITV.
The former unified heavyweight world champion faces Francis Ngannou on March 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the latest instalment of Turki Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season, launched in October 2023 with Tyson Fury’s heavyweight encounter with Ngannou.
Joshua appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain as part of the rounds of his British domestic media obligations ahead of his fight with Ngannou this Friday in the Saudi Arabian capital. Joshua was questioned whether one of Britain’s most wanted fights, between himself and Fury, was on the cards.
Joshua, coy in his response, told the programme he hopes a deal between himself and Fury could be agreed in the near future.
“It is the golden question, I’d say sooner rather than later,” Joshua said. “It’s in the pipeline, it’s been bubbling for a long time, and it has to happen. We are with you guys [programme hosts]. We’re talking about it. It’s definitely going to happen sooner rather than later – mark my words.”
Joshua and Fury have previously been involved in negotiations for a fight against one another as recently as 2022, following Joshua’s unsuccessful attempt to recapture his unified heavyweight titles against Oleksandr Usyk in August 2022. Usyk defeated Joshua in 2021 to become the unified world champion in London before their contractually obligated rematch, which took place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Following Joshua’s rematch defeat to Usyk, Fury offered Joshua an opportunity at his WBC world heavyweight title in December of that year, but a deal couldn’t be agreed.
Fury instead met Dereck Chisora for a third time, scoring a one-sided 10th-round stoppage.
The former champion elaborated that talks have been fleeting, with no concrete details emerging concerning a date, venue or financial elements. However, Joshua says that he has various targets he needs to hit for the showdown to become a reality.
“Not in-depth like that [finding a location and date for the fight] but there’s a map,” Joshua explained.
“For example, someone would say, ‘These are the checkpoints,’ and if I can complete these checkpoints, then Fury’s part of my journey, and I’m part of his, I’m sure, as well – it would be silly not to.”
Fury’s rescheduled bout with Oleksandr Usyk takes place on May 18, and there is a rematch clause in, meaning they are tied into two fights with one another.