Anthony Joshua has recently expressed his strong desire to fight fellow British heavyweight Tyson Fury, following his sixth-round knockout victory over Jake Paul. In a post-fight interview, Joshua directly called out Fury, challenging him to step into the ring if he is serious about fighting "one of the realest fighters out there."
Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, confirmed that the Tyson Fury fight is the ultimate goal, describing it as "the biggest fight in boxing." He indicated that after Joshua's recent bout, the focus will return to "the real business" with Fury in 2026. Frank Warren, a chief at Queensberry Promotions, has also suggested that talks have been happening and that a potential date in late summer is being eyed for the mega-fight, contingent on the right deal being struck.
However, a potential hurdle is Tyson Fury's previous retirement announcement in January 2025, following consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk. Despite this, plans are reportedly in motion for Joshua to have another fight in Saudi Arabia on February 14, 2026, with the aim of then facing Fury in the summer of that year. Meanwhile, Warren has also proposed that Joshua take on other fighters like Moses Itauma or Fabio Wardley next if he is genuinely looking for a fight.