Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have officially agreed to a fight. The announcement was made by Saudi Arabian boxing chief Turki Alalsheikh on social media, with Joshua confirming his signing of a multi-fight deal. Alalsheikh stated, “To my friends in Great Britain – it’s happening. It’s signed.” Joshua is set to have a warm-up bout against Kristian Prenga in Riyadh on July 25.
Fury recently made a successful return to the ring after a 16-month hiatus, defeating Arslanbek Makhmudov. He disclosed that he had already signed to fight Joshua, but Joshua did not engage in a face-off in the Tottenham ring after Fury’s victory. Assuming Joshua emerges victorious in his comeback fight without any injuries, the much-anticipated clash between Joshua and Fury is scheduled for November, potentially at Wembley, and will be broadcast on Netflix.
Joshua had initially planned to return to the ring in March following his win over Jake Paul last Christmas. However, a tragic car accident in Nigeria, resulting in the loss of two close friends, delayed his return. The 36-year-old has been focusing on his conditioning in Ukraine alongside champion Oleksandr Usyk, who believes Joshua will triumph over Fury and become the undisputed heavyweight champion.
After defeating Makhmudov, Fury expressed confusion over Joshua’s absence for a face-off, highlighting the challenges both fighters have faced in their careers. He emphasized the risks in interim fights in heavyweight boxing and expressed his eagerness for the long-anticipated showdown with Joshua. Fury acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the fight’s occurrence but reiterated his desire for the bout to finally take place after a decade of anticipation.