Boxing World Welcomes The Fight ‘Over a Decade in the Making’: Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua

Boxing fans have long waited to see two of Britain’s biggest names, Tyson Fury (36-2-1, 25 KOs) and Anthony Joshua (30-4, 27 KOs), lock horns inside the ring. And now, it looks like that wait might have finally borne fruit. 

Taking to X, Turki Alalshikh announced news that British boxing fans (and boxing aficionados at large) have long wanted to hear.

“I can now confirm that Fury vs Joshua will be coming to the UK, as I promised British boxing fans. The time for talking is over,” he wrote.

The Joshua vs Fury fight has genuinely been more than a decade in the making. The rivalry dates back to the period when both men were reigning heavyweight champions, but the matchup repeatedly fell apart at the negotiating table. In fact, the clearest near-miss came in 2021, when the two camps had agreed terms for an August fight in Saudi Arabia, only for Fury to be compelled to face Deontay Wilder after an arbitration ruling. Another proposed meeting in December 2022 also collapsed.

And now with the fight finally happening, how big will it be? Enormous, but with an important historical caveat. Fury and Joshua were arguably the two defining British heavyweights of their generation, and at various points the matchup could have been for undisputed status. Both have since lost their world titles twice to Oleksandr Usyk, so this is no longer the undisputed championship fight it might once have been. Nevertheless, it remains an exceptionally significant all-British heavyweight event.

Meanwhile, Fury has been over the moon ever since the fight was announced.

“Over a decade in the making! The time has come for the worlds biggest fight! Massive thanks to @turki & Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦, The only man that could make this happen,” he wrote on Instagram.

“Dana White Cannot Be Involved”

Eddie Hearn, however, was a lot more concerned about Dana White’s potential involvement in the fight promotions. Talking to iFL TV, he stressed the importance of ensuring that Dana White does not take over.

“Even Netflix put out a press release saying the fight will be in conjunction with Dana White. There’s loads of battles to come on that because that ain’t happening either. Dana White cannot be involved with this fight promotion. Netflix clearly didn’t get the memo,” he said. “No one talks to each other. I speak to Sela and Turki: ‘No. Dana White is not involved in the fight. You’ve got a contract that says that. He won’t be at the presser. Blah, blah, blah.”

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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