Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have reportedly signed to fight each other, according to a hint from Saudi matchmaker Turki Alalshikh. The two former heavyweight champions have been linked to a showdown for years, and a deal was even reached in 2021 when both held world titles, but the bout fell through due to legal issues with Deontay Wilder.
Alalshikh's Cryptic Tweet
On Monday, Alalshikh tweeted to his followers in Great Britain: "It's happening. It's signed." The message was widely interpreted as confirmation that Fury vs Joshua is finally set to take place later in 2026. This comes after recent negotiations between the camps.
Joshua's Warm-Up Fight
Anthony Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, had previously told The Independent that Joshua would likely face another opponent this summer before meeting Fury in the autumn. Shortly after Alalshikh's tweet, Joshua's return bout was confirmed against Kristian Prenga on 25 July in Riyadh. This is expected to serve as a warm-up under the Fury deal.
Background and Recent Events
Joshua, 36, was involved in a car crash in Nigeria in December, just 10 days after knocking out YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. The accident tragically killed two of his teammates. Since then, he has been training with former opponent Oleksandr Usyk in Ukraine. Usyk outpointed Joshua twice in 2021 and 2022 and later defeated Fury twice in 2024.
After his losses to Usyk, Fury retired for the fifth time but returned on 11 April, easing past Arslanbek Makhmudov on points at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Following that win, Fury called out Joshua, who was sitting ringside with Hearn. The pair exchanged words, with Joshua remaining coy but suggesting a fight would happen once signed.
Past Collapse of the Fight
In 2021, Fury and Joshua signed a deal for a unification bout, but it collapsed when Deontay Wilder threatened legal action, leading to a trilogy fight. Fury stopped Wilder in October 2021, as he had done in February 2020, after a controversial draw in 2018.
Now, with Alalshikh's hint, British boxing fans may finally see the dream matchup between two of the country's greatest heavyweights.
