Dua Lipa has reportedly declined an offer to perform at the highly anticipated super-fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua later this year. The British pop star was approached to be part of the event, which has been a long time in the making.
Fight Details and Ultimatum
This week, it was announced that Fury and Joshua have finally signed a contract to face each other, although no date or venue has been confirmed for the all-British heavyweight clash. Instead, it was revealed that Joshua, 36, will first box relative unknown Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia on 25 July, before fighting Fury later in 2026 – likely in the UK this autumn, possibly at Wembley Stadium, and almost certainly broadcast on Netflix.
Fury, 37, also intends to have a warm-up bout, despite having competed just three weeks ago, when he defeated Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Saudi boxing matchmaker Turki Alalshikh had expressed a strong desire for Dua Lipa to perform at the Joshua vs Fury event. According to Sky Sports, Alalshikh even threatened to cancel the fight if the "Levitating" singer did not participate – though the claim may have been made in jest. Nevertheless, the BBC has reported that Dua Lipa, 30, was approached and declined the offer. The three-time Grammy winner will not be part of the show.
Musical Acts in Saudi-Backed Fights
If a replacement is found, it would not be the first time a musical act has performed at a fight with Saudi involvement. For instance, Eminem performed before Terence Crawford beat Israil Madrimov in 2024, and later that year, Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher did the same before Joshua was stopped by Daniel Dubois.
Dua Lipa, known for hits like "Don't Start Now," "Dance The Night," "Houdini," and "Training Season," has also collaborated with Elton John on "Cold Heart" and Calvin Harris on "One Kiss." Her decision to turn down the performance leaves organisers searching for another headline act.
