Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury: What to Know About the Upcoming Battle of Britain Heavyweight Bout
Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have circled each other for nearly ten years. Both are two-time heavyweight champions and among the most prominent British sports figures today. Joshua is 36 years old, while Fury is 37. Each has suffered two defeats at the hands of Oleksandr Usyk and likely faces the later stages of their careers.
They return to the ring this week amid a shifting heavyweight scene. With Usyk vacating his belts, fighters like Daniel Dubois (WBO), Agit Kabayel (WBC), and Murat Gassiev (WBA) hold major titles, while the IBF championship remains open. Despite these changes, fans want to see the two biggest names in the division face off rather than chase other titles.
Are Joshua and Fury Fighting This Week?
No, neither is fighting each other right now, though both have bouts scheduled. On Friday, July 24, Tyson Fury will fight former world title challenger Mariusz Wach over 10 rounds in Thailand. The following day, Anthony Joshua headlines in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, against Kristian Prenga, an Albanian known for knockouts but with less challenging opponents in his record.
This fight marks Joshua's first since surviving a tragic car accident last December in Nigeria, which resulted in the deaths of his team members Ina Ghami and Latif Ayodele. Joshua was on vacation there after defeating Jake Paul in Miami.
Fury recently ended a brief retirement with a clear points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov at Wembley in April. He used the occasion to call out Joshua at ringside.
When Will Joshua and Fury Meet?
Their fight is set for December 11, 2026, at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Both fighters signed contracts with Saudi boxing figure Turki Alalshikh to make this bout happen, although some obstacles remained before it became official.
Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn insisted the fight must take place in the UK. Meanwhile, Alalshikh, co-founder of Dana White's Zuffa Boxing (with UFC ties), hinted at hosting it in the US. Eventually, the UK venue prevailed.
Fury has stressed his position as the WBC's top challenger to Kabayel, suggesting a clearer path to a title than Joshua currently has. Speaking before his fight with Wach, Fury doubted Joshua would engage in press events with him, claiming Joshua avoids direct confrontation.
"I can never see that stiff [Joshua] sitting on a table with me like that fella there [Wach]. What the f— is he going to say? I can never actually see him at a press conference with me. It will just be like… a bombardment. I can never see him taking that."
Despite tensions, they agreed on the date and venue.
Have Joshua and Fury Fought Before?
They have never met professionally. Stories about a 2010 amateur sparring session have grown more intriguing as fans await their eventual clash.
Fury praised Joshua’s skill during that spar, recalling how Joshua dominated him:
"He gave me a beating. If I'd had a weak chin, I'd have been knocked out for a month. He's very, very good and he's only young, 20. Watch out for that name Anthony Joshua - he is one prospect for the future. He came out at me for three rounds and he gave me a beating - I'm not going to deny it, he gave me hell for leather for three rounds."
Years later, Fury modified the story, saying Joshua was pulled out after three rounds. Joshua’s amateur coach, Sean Murphy, confirmed this version in 2021, describing Joshua landing strong punches and Fury asking for a fourth round but the coach stopping it.
Joshua referenced the sparring when exchanging words with Fury after Fury’s win over Makhmudov:
"I've never had no problem getting in a ring with you. I punched you up when we were kids and, after watching you tonight, I'll punch you up again."
