Anthony Joshua, who used to fight Tyson Fury, is ready to face him again as a warm-up before their big match.
A boxer who once beat Anthony Joshua has offered to fight Tyson Fury before Fury faces Joshua in 2026. Joshua and Fury are set to fight in late 2026, with the match expected to air on Netflix, but the location hasn’t been confirmed yet.
Before that big fight, Joshua will take on a lesser-known Albanian boxer, Kristian Pregna, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on July 25. Meanwhile, Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, said Fury might have a tune-up fight first. Fury wants to stay active and doesn’t want to wait too long for the Joshua fight.
“He wants another fight because he doesn’t want to be out of the ring for almost eight months,” Warren said. “He wants to keep busy, and we’ll see what happens soon. The Joshua fight will probably be in November and hopefully in the UK.”
So, who might Fury face before Joshua? Former heavyweight champ Andy Ruiz said Fury actually reached out to him about a fight. Ruiz told Casino.org, “Tyson Fury messaged me asking about fighting him, but people said it’s too risky, so I think that’s why he picked Arslanbek Makhmudov.”
Ruiz is famous for surprising everyone by beating Joshua in 2019. He stepped in last minute and won by TKO in the seventh round. Joshua won their rematch later that year. Since then, Ruiz has fought three times, beating Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz, and drawing with Miller in 2024.
Ruiz added, “With my speed and pressure, and throwing combinations, I’d be a tough challenge for Fury. Some say Fury would outbox me, but they haven’t seen me against top fighters. I come out strong and ready.”