Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua: All you need to know about the biggest fight in British boxing history
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are back in the ring, making a huge British showdown closer than ever. Here’s what we know so far.
Fans have been dreaming of a Fury vs. Joshua fight for years since both have proven themselves as top heavyweight fighters of their time. They’ve each won multiple heavyweight titles and become huge stars in boxing.
For a while, it looked like this big fight might never happen. But now, with both men fighting again, the biggest British boxing match ever could be just around the corner.
On the evening of July 24, Fury stepped into the ring for his second fight this year. Even though he had announced retiring six times before, he faced Polish boxer Mariusz Wach in a private charity match in Thailand. Fury won after seven rounds, though it wasn’t his strongest performance.
Just over a day later, Joshua returned after recovering from a serious car crash in Nigeria that injured him lightly but tragically took the lives of two close friends. At 36, Joshua fought Albania’s Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia. After a tough first round where he was knocked down twice, Joshua came back strong and knocked Prenga out in the second round.
With both fighters winning what many see as warm-up bouts, the Fury vs. Joshua fight feels closer than ever.
Even so, they’ll both need time to rest and train before jumping into a big clash. Most expect the fight to happen in late 2026, as long as neither gets hurt beforehand. Organizers are aiming for a November date, with only a few Saturdays available: November 7, 14, 21, or 28.
One big question is where the fight will take place. Lots of venues around the world are in the running.
Even though this is a huge British rivalry, Las Vegas is thought to be the frontrunner, with Allegiant Stadium as the likely spot. This is because the Saudi boxing leader and broadcaster Netflix want the event to be timed for U.S. viewers. British fans would watch no matter what, even if it means seeing the fight at about 2 a.m. on a Sunday morning.
This timing would make Wembley Stadium tricky since there’s a 1 a.m. curfew there. Though it’s possible the rule could be relaxed, it doesn’t seem likely. Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, which holds 80,000 people and has no curfew, might be a better choice. The Welsh Rugby Union, which owns the stadium, says they’d love to host the fight, praising its great location and boxing history.
However, Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, says both fighters’ contracts currently say the fight should be in the UK. If the plan moves to the U.S., they’ll need to work out new contracts. Hearn said, “We’d all be disappointed if it’s in America because everyone thinks it should be in the UK. But the cost is huge, so we have to make it work financially.”
Dublin has also come up as a surprise option. Promoter Kalle Sauerland even mentioned rumors that the fight might be set for autumn there, though nothing’s confirmed.
As for the money, neither fighter has revealed their exact payday yet. But reports say each will earn at least £100 million, which would be the biggest of their careers. Fury’s biggest payday was around £81-85 million from his title fight with Oleksandr Usyk, while Joshua earned about £70 million last year after beating Jake Paul.
All in all, the stage seems set for an epic battle between two of Britain’s best, and fans can’t wait to see who comes out on top!