Tyson Fury has confirmed he will return to the ring in August for a warm-up fight before his highly anticipated showdown with Anthony Joshua later this year. The former two-time heavyweight champion, now 37, made the announcement following his victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov in April, which marked his first fight in over a year after retiring on the back of consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk in 2024.
Fury's Three-Fight Plan for 2026
Speaking to FurociTV, Fury outlined his schedule: "So my fight plan this year, with three fights. So it will be April, August and whenever the big fight is announced, either October or November." He admitted no opponent has been confirmed for the August bout, but stressed the importance of staying active. "We have not got an opponent yet. But again, it's never about the opponent, it's just about me versus me always," he said.
Joshua's Path to the Mega-Fight
Meanwhile, Anthony Joshua is set to face Kristian Prenga in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on July 25. The British star has not fought since knocking out Jake Paul last December. Both fighters must emerge victorious from their respective warm-up bouts to secure the lucrative clash, which is expected to take place in October or November.
Fury acknowledged the risks of taking another fight before Joshua, stating: "Listen, I might get knocked out my next fight in August. So then it's all over. So I got to take one fight at a time, and they're all deadly serious fights."
Fury's Prediction for Joshua Fight
In the same interview, Fury confidently predicted he would knock out Joshua. "I'll knock him out for sure. He will not be able to survive against me. He does not have any chin and I will bang him on it because I am quicker than him and I am a better boxer," he said. Fury pointed to Joshua's previous losses, including a knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois, as evidence. "The only one who got knocked out and knocked down five times was Joshua. So I will put him back in where he should be. Bambi on ice."
