Tyson Fury has reiterated his desire to face Anthony Joshua in a blockbuster heavyweight showdown, insisting the fight must happen now or never. Speaking after outclassing Arslanbek Makhmudov over 12 rounds at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night, Fury said: 'It's either him or I'm out.' The 37-year-old Gypsy King dominated the durable Russian but quickly turned his attention to his long-time British rival.
Joshua was present ringside, filming Fury's performance on his phone, but declined to get into the ring afterwards. When handed a microphone, his response was lost due to a technical fault. Later, in a separate interview, Joshua claimed he had been chasing Fury for a decade and said: 'You tell me your terms and conditions and I'll have you in the ring when I'm ready. I'm the boss, you work for me. I'm the landlord.' He even suggested Fury could be a 'warmup fight' based on what he saw.
Fury, unaware of Joshua's comments, expressed frustration. 'I never mentioned Anthony Joshua in the buildup, or since his accident. I've given him the respect he deserves. Tonight he came here and I asked him to do the fight, but he didn't give an answer. In my opinion he didn't want no smoke. He was shell-shocked.' Fury dismissed suggestions Joshua needed another tune-up fight, pointing out both are in their mid-30s and the contest remains the biggest in boxing.
The protracted saga has dragged on for over a decade, with multiple false starts. Joshua's last serious bout was a crushing defeat to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, before a lucrative but lopsided win over YouTuber Jake Paul. Fury, meanwhile, has gone through wars with Deontay Wilder and lost twice to Oleksandr Usyk. Fury rejected the idea of facing the winner of next month's WBO title fight between Fabio Wardley and Dubois, stating: 'What have I got to prove against some schoolboys? I want to fight Anthony Joshua, two British boxing legends.'
