Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have been on a collision course for nearly a decade, but their animosity could finally be settled next year.
Anthony Joshua’s long-awaited battle with Tyson Fury has been scheduled for March.
Despite many efforts, the two British fighters have not met in the ring after trading verbal jabs for nearly a decade. Joshua has won and lost world titles since first challenging Fury, who is in his second stint as world champion.
But the pair could meet for all four heavyweight belts next year – if they remain undefeated until then. Fury will put his unbeaten record on the line against fellow champion Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday week in a fight which will crown the division’s first undisputed ruler since Lennox Lewis in 1999.
The rivals have already agreed to a rematch which is expected to take place on either October 12 or 13. Three weeks before that, Joshua is expected to attempt to become a three-time world champion when he takes on either Daniel Dubois or Filip Hrgovic at Wembley.
Dubois and Hrgovic will clash on June 1 in Saudi Arabia for the IBF world title which will be stripped from the winner of Fury vs Usyk due to overdue mandatory obligations. If Fury wins back-to-back fights against Usyk, and Joshua has his hand raised in London, the two are expected to meet in a £200million mega-fight early in 2025.
The Brits could then rematch next summer, with the second fight potentially taking place at Wembley. Last month, Fury claimed he is ready to fight into his 40s – and walk to the ring another 10 times. “We’ve talked about 10 more fights and that’s the aim. I’m not even 36 yet so I’ll go to 40, all these fighters go to 40,” he said.
“If they can line them up quickly I’ll do them. I can get the best out of me when I have two, three, four fights on the spin. If they can do it, fantastic. I’ll do Usyk, Usyk, AJ, AJ – if he doesn’t get beat in the meantime – so that’s four.
“Then I’ll do Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce, then Joseph Parker, that’s seven. Then I’ll go to America and chuck in an American, maybe Deontay Wilder for a fourth time. Maybe a European, an Agit Kabayel. Then for the 10th I’ll probably do a trilogy with Usyk.”
