Speculation around a Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua fight picked up again this week after reports linked the heavyweight stars to a possible fall showdown in Dublin. Speaking to iFL TV, Fury made clear he is not ready to treat any of it as official, even as he prepares to return to the ring Friday, April 11, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London against Arslanbek Makhmudov.
That caution makes sense. In the heavyweight division, major fights often live in the rumor stage longer than fans would like, and Fury-Joshua has been the best example of that over the past several years. For American boxing fans, it remains one of the biggest all-British matchups the sport can still make, even after both men took losses that changed the stakes.
Fury approached the latest round of reports with his usual mix of sarcasm and detachment.
“Yeah, I’ve heard about it, but all of it is up in the air. I also heard we might fight in America. Heard the fight would be in London. I’ve heard a lot of things. I’m doing everything that depends on me. That’s all you can expect from me.
If the fight happens — great. If not — that’s fine too. If it’s meant to happen, then God will let us get in the ring. And if it’s not meant to be, then it won’t happen. That’s it. If I’m meant to get in the ring on Saturday and get knocked out by Makhmudov, then that’s what will happen. And I won’t be able to do anything about it,” Fury said.
The bigger question is what a Joshua fight would mean if Fury gets through Makhmudov. Even now, Fury-Joshua would still be a massive event commercially, and a Fury win would strengthen his case for one more elite-level payday before the division fully turns to a younger generation. If Joshua were to land that fight and win, it would instantly reshape his late-career narrative and put him back at the center of the heavyweight picture in a way few thought possible not long ago.
First, though, Fury has to handle Makhmudov in London. That performance — and how sharp Fury looks after the layoff — will likely tell fans far more about whether Joshua is really next than any rumor ever could.