Jason Burgos
Tyson Fury’s cutman has some very bad news for boxing fans hoping to see a long-awaited scrap against Anthony Joshua in 2026.
Outside of Oleksandr Usyk, three fighters have dominated the heavyweight division for much of the last decade. Fury, Joshua, and Deontay Wilder. Fury and Wilder engaged in an epic three-fight series between 2018 and 2021. However, that’s been the only fights between the three legends.
Yet, that is tentatively scheduled to change later this year. Soon after his unanimous decision victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov in April, it was announced that Fury and Joshua would finally face off in a battle for England in the “fourth quarter of this year.”
But last week, his promoter — Frank Warren — revealed the former undisputed heavyweight king would like to have another fight before taking on Joshua. The latter, who beat down Jake Paul in a clash on Netflix in December, already has a tune-up scrap set for July against Kristian Prenga.
Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua fight still a year away?
Mattering on when Fury books his next bout, a Fury vs. Joshua fight sure seems harder to make in the fourth quarter of this year. It’s probably why “Gypsy King’s” cutman Jamie Sheldon offered up a grim timeline on when the long-awaited bout could happen.
“AJ has another warm-up fight and then fights Fury. Will Tyson also have another warm-up fight to stay active?” Sheldon said to Betway. “Then we are talking maybe 10 to 12 months before we see that fight, but let’s hope it happens after the next fight and takes place towards the end of the year.”
A fight finally happening well into 2027 after the recent announcement will surely disappoint UK boxing fans. However, Sheldon believes that no matter when the bout happens, it will be a huge success.
“I remember people were saying the same when Amir Khan and Kell Brook fought,” he recalled. “People said it was five or six years too late, but I was in Kell’s corner for the fight, and when it got announced, it instantly sold out. This fight will still sell out any stadium, no matter what, even if there are no titles on the line… People say just fight, but it’s a bit more complicated.”
