Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua explained

Fight Date:TBA
Fight Name:Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua
Location:TBA
Titles:None
Fighter1: Tyson Fury
Nickname1:Gypsy King
Record1:34–1-1 (24 KOs)
Hometown1:Wythenshawe, Manchester, England
Height1:6 ft 9 in
Style1:Orthodox
Recognition1:Former WBC heavyweight champion
Former unified heavyweight champion
Fighter2: Anthony Joshua
Nickname2:AJ
Record2:28–3-0 (25 KOs)
Hometown2:Watford, Hertfordshire, England
Height2:6 ft 6 in
Style2:Orthodox
Recognition2:Former WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight champion

Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua is a proposed heavyweight professional boxing superfight contested between former WBC champion, Tyson Fury, and former WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO champion, Anthony Joshua. The fight has been dubbed as the "Biggest fight in British boxing history"[1] and "The Battle of Britain".[2] [3] [4] As of July 2024, no agreement has been reached which secured a fight between the two heavyweights.

Background

2020

See also: Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury II and Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev. After Fury defeated Deontay Wilder via seventh-round technical knockout (TKO) to capture the WBC and Ring heavyweight titles in February 2020, Wilder immediately activated a contractual rematch clause.[5] The trilogy fight was initially scheduled to take place on 18 July, but after Wilder suffered an injury and due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, the bout was postponed until October. At Wilder's request, the bout was again pushed back to 19 December. After Wilder's team again requested to push the date back into 2021, Fury announced in October that he was moving on from a proposed third fight, stating, "they asked me if I would agree to push it to December. I agreed to Dec. 19. Then they tried to change the date again into next year. I've been training. I'm ready. When they tried moving off Dec. 19 and pushing to next year, enough was enough. I've moved on." Following Fury's comments, Wilder released a video on social media, accusing Fury of cheating during their February fight.[6] With team Fury insisting that the contractual rematch clause has expired and team Wilder insisting the opposite, both sides entered into a mediation process in an attempt to resolve the dispute.[7] However, according to Fury's promoter, Bob Arum, Fury has insisted that he will not fight Wilder again due to the accusations of cheating.[8]

Joshua defeated Andy Ruiz Jr. in a rematch in December 2019 to reclaim his unified heavyweight titles. Later that month, the WBO ordered Joshua to enter negotiations with their mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk. The following day, the IBF also ordered Joshua to face their mandatory challenger, Kubrat Pulev.[9] Due to the IBF initially ordering Joshua to face Pulev in early 2019, before the rematch with Ruiz,[10] it was determined that Pulev would be first in line with Usyk set to face the winner.[11] After an original date in June was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[12] Joshua defeated Pulev via ninth-round TKO in December 2020.[13] After the victory, Joshua was asked in the post-fight interview about the prospect of an undisputed fight with Fury, Joshua said, "I want a challenge. It's not about the opponent. It's about the legacy and the belt. Whoever's got the belt, I'd love to compete with him. If that is Tyson Fury, let it be Tyson Fury. It's no big deal." Fury released a video on social media in response to Joshua's comments, saying, "Well there you go everyone, Anthony Joshua just shit his self live on television. He got asked did he want the fight, and he went around the bushes and put his arse on the edge. I want the fight! I want the fight next! I'll knock him out inside three rounds! He's a big bum dosser. Can't wait to knock him out."[14]

2021

See also: Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder III and Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk. A two-fight deal between the two champions has been agreed in principle since June 2020, with the first fight having a 50–50 purse split and the rematch a 60–40 split in favour of the winner.[15] In March 2021, it was reported that both teams had signed the contract, with the final details of a date and venue to be determined.[16]

On 17 May 2021, an announcement was made that the fight would take place on 14 August 2021 at a venue in Saudi Arabia.[17] However, 24 hours after the announcement was made, a judge in a US court ruled that Deontay Wilder was entitled to exercise his option for a third fight with Fury on a date up to 15 September. This put the proposed bout between Joshua and Fury in jeopardy, as Wilder indicated that he was not prepared to stand aside to allow the British boxers to proceed.[18] [19] As a result of the difficulties in agreeing to the fight between Joshua and Fury, on 21 May the WBO gave the Joshua camp 48 hours to come to an agreement for the fight with Fury, or they would instead order a bout against their mandatory challenger, Oleksandr Usyk. On 22 May, the WBO issued an instruction that Joshua would have to fight Usyk, with an agreement for the bout to be in place by 31 May.[20] The following day, Fury announced that he had signed a contract for a third fight with Wilder, to be held in Las Vegas.[21]

Joshua and Usyk came to an agreement to stage their bout on 25 September 2021 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Joshua suffered the second professional loss of his career when Usyk produced a dominant display to emerge the victor by unanimous decision, with Joshua's performance being labelled "a strange, almost hapless display".[22] Conversely, two weeks later on 9 October at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Fury was victorious, knocking Wilder out in the eleventh round of their trilogy bout to retain his undefeated record, in a fight described as "an all-time epic heavyweight championship fight" and "the obvious fight of the year so far".[23] Fury–Wilder III was later designated as The Ring magazine Fight of the Year 2021.[24]

2022

See also: Tyson Fury vs. Dillian Whyte and Oleksandr Usyk vs Anthony Joshua II. With Fury having made his first successful defence of his WBC and Ring titles against Wilder, WBCi president Mauricio Sulaiman ordered Fury to face his mandatory challenger, WBC interim heavyweight champion Dillian Whyte. The fight between Fury and Whyte took place on 23 April at Wembley Stadium in London, England in front of a record-breaking crowd of 94,000 fans; 4,000 more than the attendance of Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko which previously took place at the same venue in 2017, thus setting a new attendance record for a boxing match in Europe.[25] Fury punctuated a dominant performance with a jab, right uppercut combination at the end of the sixth round of the bout to send Whyte sprawling to the canvas; the referee subsequently waved off the fight, declaring Fury the winner by sixth-round technical knockout, and still the undefeated WBC and Ring heavyweight champion.[26]

Almost four months after Fury's triumphant return to the ring, he vacated The Ring title on 13 August. One week later in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 20 August, Joshua faced Usyk in a rematch of their first bout eleven months earlier, with the now-vacant Ring title on the line for the Usyk–Joshua II winner, in addition to Usyk's unified world titles.[27] With Usyk outboxing Joshua again over the 12-round distance to win, this time via split decision, Joshua succumbed to a second consecutive defeat to bring his professional boxing record to 24–3.[28] After the fight, Joshua threw the title belts out of the ring and started to walk out of the arena, before returning to give a bizarre and emotional speech. Shortly after, Joshua was recorded backstage responding to a bystander who had criticised him, yelling: "Who are you talking to? Who are you talking to? Shut your fucking mouth.”[29]

In the aftermath of Usyk–Joshua II, an undisputed fight in the near future between the two undefeated heavyweight champions Fury and Usyk seemed likely, until on 2 September, Usyk issued a statement in Kyiv, Ukraine at a press conference, confirming that he refuses to face Fury in December 2022: "Fighting Tyson Fury in December is impossible. For two reasons. First, I have old injuries that need to be treated... Second, I just don’t want to box in December." Despite his stance on the potential fight with Fury, Usyk expressed interest in a trilogy fight against Joshua, saying, “If Fury floats away, then maybe we will agree on a third fight with Joshua.”[30]

Fury reacted to these developments on 5 September by calling out Joshua, saying in a video message: "Anthony Joshua, I know you've just lost a fight to Usyk, and I know you're belt-less at the moment, and I'd like to give you an opportunity to fight me for the WBC heavyweight championship of the world and the lineal championship in the next few months." Joshua responded by accepting the challenge, stating he would be "ready in December".[31] Fury announced that his side had offered Joshua 40% of a 60–40 purse split, which Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed on 7 September that they had accepted.[32] On 13 September, after Joshua had entered the WBC heavyweight rankings at sixth place, it was announced by Joshua's promoters that his side had accepted the terms proposed by Fury's side for a Fury–Joshua fight on 3 December.[33]

2024

In February 2024, Fury responded to rumours of imminent retirement by announcing a five-fight plan, one of which is against Joshua and could potentially include a rematch.[34] Turki Al-Sheikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and Riyadh Season, and Eddie Hearn have said that the fight will take place if Anthony Joshua defeats his opponent Francis Ngannou in their fight (which Joshua won by 2nd round KO) on 8 March 2024, and Tyson Fury defeats Oleksandr Usyk in their undisputed heavyweight contest (which Fury lost by split decision) on 18 May 2024, and the planned rematch of that fight.[35] [36] On 12 March 2024, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman stated the WBC would not stand in the way of a Fury vs Joshua fight, saying "we would absolutely accept the winner (of Fury vs Usyk) to fight Joshua".[37]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury agree to 'biggest fight in British boxing history'. 2021-09-27. Sky News. en.
  2. Web site: Verri . Matt . 2024-03-06 . Fury reveals 'Battle of Britain' plans as timeline for Joshua showdown revealed . 2024-03-12 . Evening Standard . en.
  3. Web site: Mogan . Tony . Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury: The path to 'The Battle of Britain' is there once again . 2024-03-12.
  4. Web site: Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury: The 'Battle of Britain' has been dangled like never before - but will it finally happen? . 2024-03-12 . Sky Sports . en.
  5. Web site: Rathborn. Jack. 1 March 2020. Deontay Wilder officially triggers rematch clause for third fight with Tyson Fury. 27 January 2021. The Independent. en.
  6. Web site: Brookhouse. Brent. 12 October 2020. Tyson Fury says he has 'moved on' from trilogy bout with Deontay Wilder after multiple delays. 27 January 2021. CBS Sports. en.
  7. Web site: Rafael. Dan. 10 November 2020. Wilder Taking Fury To Mediation in Attempt To Force a Third Fight. 27 January 2021. BoxingScene.com. en-us.
  8. Web site: 15 January 2021. Arum: Fury Told Me He Will Never Fight Wilder For a Third Time. 27 January 2021. BoxingScene.com. en-us.
  9. Web site: Rafael. Dan. 12 December 2019. Joshua has dual mandatory orders from IBF, WBO. 28 January 2021. ESPN. en.
  10. Web site: Donovan. Jake. 27 January 2020. Joshua vs. Pulev Talks Continue, As Deal - And Deadline - Draws Near. 28 January 2021. BoxingScene.com. en-us.
  11. Web site: 6 February 2020. Hearn: Joshua-Pulev, Usyk-Chisora, Whyte-Povetkin Are Coming. 28 January 2021. BoxingScene.com. en-us.
  12. News: 3 April 2020. Anthony Joshua's world title defence against Kubrat Pulev postponed. en-gb. BBC Sport. 28 January 2021.
  13. Web site: Dielhenn. James. 13 December 2020. Anthony Joshua knocks out Kubrat Pulev to edge closer to dream fight against Tyson Fury. 28 January 2020. Sky Sports. en.
  14. Web site: Idec. Keith. 12 December 2020. Tyson Fury: Joshua Just Sh-t Himself Live On TV; I'll Knock Him Out Inside 3 Rounds!. 29 January 2021. BoxingScene.com. en-us.
  15. Web site: Bridge. Michael. Damerell. Richard. Dielhenn. James. 11 June 2020. Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have agreed terms for a two-fight deal, says promoter Eddie Hearn. 29 January 2021. Sky Sports. en.
  16. Web site: Idec. Keith. 15 March 2021. Report: Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua Sides Have Signed Off On 2-Fight Deal; Date, Site TBD. 15 March 2021. BoxingScene.com. en-us.
  17. Web site: Anthony Joshua v Tyson Fury: British boxers to meet on 14 August in Saudi Arabia . . 17 May 2021 . BBC Sport . BBC . 23 May 2021 .
  18. Web site: Anthony Joshua v Tyson Fury: Deontay Wilder arbitration casts doubt over Saudi Arabia bout . . 18 May 2021. BBC Sport . BBC . 23 May 2021 .
  19. Web site: Anthony Joshua v Tyson Fury: Deontay Wilder won't step aside from Tyson Fury fight - Bob Arum . . 20 May 2021. BBC Sport . BBC . 23 May 2021 .
  20. Web site: Anthony Joshua ordered to defend WBO heavyweight title against Aleksandr Usyk . . 22 May 2021. BBC Sport . BBC . 23 May 2021 .
  21. Web site: Fury v Wilder: Third fight signed for 24 July at Las Vegas venue . . 23 May 2021. BBC Sport . BBC . 23 May 2021 .
  22. News: Usyk beats Joshua by unanimous decision. en-GB. BBC Sport. 2021-10-10.
  23. Web site: 2021-10-09. Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III: A breathtaking heavyweight epic. 2021-10-10. The Ring.
  24. Web site: Gray . Tom . 2021-12-29 . Tyson Fury KO 11 Deontay Wilder is The Ring Fight of the Year for 2021 . 2022-09-07 . The Ring.
  25. Web site: 2022-04-23 . Record-setting night cements Tyson Fury's heavyweight legacy . 2022-09-07 . ESPN.com . en.
  26. Web site: 2022-04-23 . Tyson Fury KOs Dillian Whyte with huge uppercut to retain heavyweight title . 2022-09-07 . talkSPORT . en-US.
  27. Web site: Gray . Tom . 2022-08-13 . Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua will vie for Ring heavyweight championship . 2022-09-07 . The Ring.
  28. Web site: Dixon . Tris . 2022-08-20 . Oleksandr Usyk defeats Anthony Joshua again following excellent fight . 2022-09-07 . The Ring.
  29. Web site: 2022-08-22 . AJ kicked off backstage with fan who made comment about throwing belts out the ring . 2022-09-07 . talkSPORT . en-US.
  30. Web site: 2022-09-03 . Usyk desperate to face 'crazy guy' Fury in 2023 but is also open to Joshua trilogy . 2022-09-07 . talkSPORT . en-US.
  31. News: Fury offers Joshua chance to fight this year . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2022-09-07.
  32. Web site: Donovan . Jake . Hearn On Fury-Joshua Talks: We Accepted 60/40 Offer, Lots Of Conversations To Be Had . 2022-09-07 . BoxingScene.com . en-us.
  33. Web site: Anthony Joshua accepts terms for Tyson Fury fight on December 3; communication halted due to Queen's death . 2022-10-14 . Sky Sports . en.
  34. News: McRae . Donald . 2024-02-07 . ‘I ain’t retiring’: Tyson Fury’s five-fight plan includes Joshua showdown . 2024-02-08 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  35. Web site: TV . ProBox . Alalshikh: “The people need to see Joshua-Fury, Fury-Joshua, need to see Joshua-Wilder.” . 2024-03-12 . proboxtv.com . en.
  36. Web site: 2024-03-06 . Eddie Hearn on what he thinks Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury need to do to make an undisputed fight DAZN News GB . 2024-03-12 . DAZN . en-GB.
  37. Web site: WBC would accept Anthony Joshua to face winner of Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk after Francis Ngannou knockout . 2024-03-12 . Sky Sports . en.