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Topics: Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Boxing, Boxing News
Jack Kenmare
Topics: Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Boxing, Boxing News
Frank Warren has addressed reports that suggest the long-awaited fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua has been signed for 2026.
Fury, who announced his retirement from boxing in early 2025 following consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, recently appeared to confirm his impending comeback, saying: "The king must return to his throne."
A few days later and The Ring Magazine claimed that Fury will indeed make a comeback to the ring against none other than Anthony Joshua, a match-up that has been rumoured for many years.
The bout will headline a Riyadh Season mega-event in 2026, according to the report.
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"Sources have advised The Ring that a highly anticipated showdown between former heavyweight champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will headline a Riyadh Season mega-event in 2026," said The Ring Magazine.
"Before that collision happens, The Ring has also learned that Fury and Joshua are slated to see action in separate fights as part of next year's Riyadh Season."
Fury’s promoter Frank Warren has since refused to confirm or deny that an agreement with Joshua was in the works, although he described the previously mentioned source as "very well informed".
Asked about the reports, Warren told talkSPORT: “Well, they're pretty well informed at times. I'm not making any comment on it, but they are very, very well informed, so let's hope that's going to be the case.
“It's a massive fight, and one that has taken a long time to get together. Hopefully that’s going to be the case and people are going to get what they wish for next year, which is these two guys in the ring facing each other."
He added: “It’s been one of the biggest modern-day rivalries in British and probably world boxing, and it would be great if it's on."
Fury’s wife, Paris, and his wider family do not want Fury to make a return to the ring following consecutive defeats to heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, according to Warren.
“I haven't spoken to him for a few weeks now because he's obviously very, very busy," added Warren.
"He's been filming his documentary, he's finishing off his series, ‘At Home With The Fury’s’ on Netflix and he's got plenty of other things he's been doing, lots of public appearances and so forth, so he's up to his eye in it.
“But he's constantly training in the gym and when I have spoken to him, he's said at all times that he wants to get back in the ring again. His family doesn't want him to, but he does.”
It remains to be seen if the long-anticipated clash between the two British heavyweights will take place, but back in 2022, Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed potential conditions, including a purse split.
Hearn also suggested rematch conditions between both camps had been agreed.
Speaking to IFL TV at the time, Hearn said: "I went back this morning and said 'we accept 60/40.' We want that reversed in a rematch, rightfully so because you're the champion here and you want the bigger split, which I think is fair.
"We want to do the fight in December."