Tyson Fury has announced his intention to return to the ring in August for a warm-up bout ahead of his highly anticipated showdown with Anthony Joshua. The British heavyweights have officially signed contracts to face each other later this year, with Wembley Stadium in London emerging as the leading venue for the contest, likely in October or November.
Fury's Three-Fight Plan
Speaking on FurociTV, Fury outlined his strategy for 2026. "So, my fight plan this year is three fights," he said. "It will be April, August, and whenever the big fight is announced, either October or November. We haven't got an opponent yet, but again, it's never about the opponent; it's just about me versus me, always." The 37-year-old, who last fought in April, easing past Arslanbek Makhmudov on points, is keen to avoid rustiness ahead of the Joshua fight. "So, whoever the opponent is, if it's Joe Bloggs or Mike Tyson, it's all important to me. It's just the run-out for me to get sharper for the big one," he added.
Joshua's Warm-Up Bout
Before the two former world champions collide, Joshua must first overcome Kristian Prenga in a warm-up fight scheduled for 25 July in Saudi Arabia. Fury, who has emerged from retirement for the fifth time, suffered back-to-back points losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2024, his only professional defeats. His promoter, Frank Warren, confirmed Fury's desire to stay active. "He will fight before facing Joshua. He wants to fight, he's made that very clear," Warren said. "He doesn't want to be back in the ring by November, which would be a gap of about seven or eight months. He wants to avoid being rusty again." Warren also ruled out a potential opponent, Andy Ruiz Jr., who stunned Joshua with a knockout in 2019 before Joshua avenged the loss later that year.
Ensuring the Super-Fight Happens
The priority for all parties involved is to ensure the long-awaited super-fight between Fury and Joshua finally takes place. A clash has been discussed for years, and contracts were even signed in 2021 before Deontay Wilder's legal action forced a trilogy bout with Fury. Now, with both fighters committed, the boxing world eagerly awaits a contest that could define the heavyweight division.
