Former heavyweight champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are finally set to face each other later this year in one of the most anticipated all-British boxing clashes in recent history, ending years of speculation, negotiations, and failed attempts to bring the fight to fruition.
The long-awaited showdown, often described as a “grudge match” between two of Britain’s biggest boxing stars, is expected to take place in November, although an official date and venue have yet to be confirmed.
Reports indicated that the fight will be staged in Saudi Arabia and could be broadcast globally on Netflix, reflecting the growing trend of major boxing events being hosted in the Middle East.
Joshua, 36, will return to action earlier in July when he takes on Albania’s Kristian Prenga in Riyadh as part of his comeback path toward the Fury fight.
The former unified heavyweight champion has been out of the ring since a tragic road accident at the end of last year in Nigeria, which claimed the lives of two of his close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele. The incident occurred shortly after his most recent bout, a sixth-round knockout victory over YouTube boxer Jake Paul.
His promoter, Eddie Hearn, confirmed that the long-discussed fight between Joshua and Fury has now been fully agreed, bringing an end to years of anticipation and repeated breakdowns in negotiations.
“Signed, sealed, delivered! AJ v Fury is on!” Hearn announced on Instagram. “The biggest piece of business we’ve ever done, but more importantly the one we’ve always wanted. Biggest year of AJ’s career coming up, the comeback is on.”
Joshua himself has described his recent period away from the ring as a necessary time for recovery and reflection following both personal tragedy and professional reassessment.
“It’s no secret I’ve taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back into the ring and this is the next step on that journey,” he said ahead of his July 25 fight against Prenga.
His opponent, Kristian Prenga, brings an impressive record of 20 wins in 21 professional fights, all of them by knockout.
However, he has yet to face opposition at the elite level of heavyweight boxing, making the bout widely viewed as a tune-up for Joshua ahead of the Fury showdown.
Tyson Fury, 37, also enters the fight after his own extended break from boxing. Earlier this month, he returned from a 16-month retirement spell and secured a unanimous points victory over Russia’s Arslanbek Makhmudov. The win was seen as a stepping stone toward finally sealing the long-discussed clash with Joshua.
Fury and Joshua have been linked for nearly a decade, with multiple negotiations collapsing over the years despite both fighters dominating the heavyweight division at various points.
Their rivalry has become one of boxing’s most talked-about “what if” matchups, particularly as both men were considered to be in their prime during previous failed attempts to arrange the fight.
Earlier this month, Joshua attended ringside during Fury’s comeback fight, sparking expectations of an in-ring face-off.
However, despite being invited into the ring for a potential confrontation, Joshua remained in his seat, leaving fans waiting a little longer for the official announcement that has now finally arrived.
Both fighters share a common rival in current heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine, who has defeated them both twice, further intensifying the narrative around their domestic showdown.
Joshua enters the contest with a professional record of 29 wins, including 26 knockouts, and four defeats in 33 fights. Fury, meanwhile, holds a record of 35 wins, 24 knockouts, one draw, and two defeats across 38 professional bouts.
The upcoming clash, billed by Fury as “The Battle of Britain,” is expected to be one of the biggest boxing events in modern British sporting history, bringing together two of the sport’s most recognisable and powerful figures in a long-awaited final resolution to their rivalry.
