For Tyson Fury, It’s Anthony Joshua or Nothing at All

Fury was frustrated when Joshua didn’t bite at a post-fight callout, but this British matchup is bound to happen sooner or later.

After 12 rounds against Arslanbek Makhmudov, Tyson Fury called out Anthony Joshua. | Mark Robinson/Getty Images

Tyson Fury pushed his way to the ring ropes.

“I want you, A.J., Anthony Joshua,” Fury bellowed into a microphone. 

Joshua, handed a mic, never moved from his ringside seat. 

“You’re a clout chaser,” said Joshua. “You ain’t going to tell me what to do … I’m the boss. You work for me.”

Pfft. And just like that, a made-for-TV moment, a payoff for those forced to sit through 12 rounds of Fury against an overmatched Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday, disappeared. Joshua didn’t say he wouldn’t fight Fury. He just wasn’t going to give Fury the satisfaction of controlling the announcement. 

“When you’re ready,” Joshua said, “you come and see me.” 

It's happening.

Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua. This autumn from the UK. LIVE only on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/tG2CkdDdhK

— Netflix (@netflix) April 11, 2026

It was a boss move by Joshua. Hours earlier, Turki Alalshikh, the Saudi Arabian official who has poured hundreds of millions into boxing the last few years, hinted that this announcement—or attempted announcement—was coming. Fury had a speech prepared, Netflix had tweets queued up, all they needed was Joshua to play ball. 

Only he didn’t. Certainly Fury-Joshua will happen. These two have circled each other for the better part of a decade. They nearly had a deal in 2021, before boxing politics (and contracts) intervened. Both have fallen on hard times since then. Fury’s second straight loss to Oleksandr Usyk sent him into (another) retirement. Joshua has not won a meaningful fight since 2019. Still, the two remain among the most recognizable athletes in the U.K. A showdown would fill a stadium and generate nine-figures in revenue. 

“Turki has some work to do,” Joshua said with a smile. 

There’s nothing standing in the way of this fight. There are no titles. No unfinished business with anyone else. Joshua is 36, five months removed from a knockout win over Jake Paul. Fury, 37, recently ended his 16-month layoff. Usyk is 4–0 against both men. No one is clamoring to see either fight him again. 

Fury is ready. Saturday’s win over Makhmudov wasn’t thrilling. Fury controlled the fight with a jab, clipped Makhmudov several times with uppercuts and cruised his way to a decision. Makhmudov was chosen for a reason. He was a plodding, one-dimensional heavyweight with just enough of a name (he was coming off a win over Dave Allen last October) and résumé (he entered the fight with a 90% knockout ratio) who looked menacing enough to be taken seriously. But he was staring up at the clock in the third round and never seemed interested in taking chances. 

“Now I know why I returned,” Fury said, “because I just fucking love it.”

Joshua … maybe not. Last December, Joshua was involved in a tragic car wreck in Nigeria. Two of his closest friends were killed. Joshua was pulled from the vehicle with injuries. The physical toll was bad. The mental one, unimaginable. 

Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has said that Joshua intends to take a tune-up fight. It’s a risk. Joshua looked like a shadow of himself in 2024, when he was stopped by Daniel Dubois in five rounds. He knocked Paul out last December but critics will note that it took him six rounds to do it. Faced with the wrong opponent, Joshua could look bad. Worse, he could lose. 

Fury doesn’t want that. At a postfight press conference, Fury didn’t hide his frustration. Joshua knew why he was sitting ringside, Fury said. “Tens of millions of people tuned in to watch,” said Fury, likely greatly overinflating the Netflix audience. “He had his opportunity to accept, get in there, shake hands, let’s dance. But he didn’t. He was very evasive and he didn’t give no definitive answers.” Even when Fury’s manager, Spencer Brown, declared that the fight will happen this year, Fury noted that Joshua’s behavior was suspicious. 

Fury has signed on to fight three times in 2026, he claimed. But he only wants one. He isn’t interested in another title shot against the winner of next month’s DAZN-streamed clash between Fabio Wardley and Dubois. He isn’t looking to be a king maker with Moses Itauma. A fourth fight against Deontay Wilder is a non-starter. For Fury, it’s Joshua or bust. 

“If it ain’t Anthony Joshua next, I’m not interested in boxing,” said Fury. “I’ll eat a thousand Easter eggs. I go up to 35 stone. I’m out. I’m not interested. It’s either him or I’m gone again. I’m not interested at all. I’m not interested in up-and-comers. I’m not interested in someone trying to prove a point over me. I don’t care. I don’t care about rankings. I don’t care about belts. I only care now about A.J., that fight. That’s the defining fight for British boxing. It’s either going to happen or it’s not.”

It will. Whether it happens on Fury’s timeline is another story. Joshua rattled Fury with his postfight obstinance but these negotiations will get over the finish line. There’s too much money for both men for either to walk away. Joshua wouldn’t give Fury his moment last weekend. But Fury will have his chance. 

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