It’s been years in the making, but finally contracts have been signed, and the bout between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury is on. The rivals have been close to reaching an agreement to fight on multiple occasions previously, but it’s never got over the line. Now it has, and it is widely regarded as the biggest fight in British boxing history, with the bout set to land on Netflix later this year.
How We Got Here
The road to the fight being signed has been a long one. The two fighters first shared a ring in a sparring session in 2010 at Finchley ABC in north London, the place Joshua called home, with virtually nobody watching. Sixteen years later, Joshua told Fury, “I beat you up when we were kids. I will beat you up again, easily”, after he watched the Gypsy King defeat Arslanbek Makhmudov in a comeback fight.
Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s long-term promoter, described it as “signed, sealed, delivered” regarding a two-fight deal that involved Turki Alalshikh, who was central to the agreement. Wembley Stadium is earmarked as the venue for the fight, where the gate is expected to generate up to £120 million, with Netflix securing broadcast rights for upwards of £10m.
Where Both Men Are At
Neither fighter currently holds a world title. Fury’s record stands at 35-2-1, with his losses both to Oleksandr Usyk. He suffered the first defeat of his pro career via split decision in May 2024 and then lost by unanimous decision in December of the same year before retiring. After 16 months out of the ring, he returned to defeat Makhmudov.
Joshua, 36, who is a year younger than Fury, has a record of 29-4, with losses to Andy Ruiz Jr., Usyk twice, and Daniel Dubois. The Dubois defeat in September 2024 saw him take time out of the sport before he returned to stop Jake Paul in Miami in December 2025. Joshua is set to face Kristian Prenga in Riyadh in July ahead of the Fury fight. It’s now also expected that Fury will take another fight in August-time ahead of the big showdown.
What Kind of Fight Can We Expect?
The styles could hardly be more different. Joshua is a pressure fighter. He’s traditionally heavy-handed, direct and dangerous, and has racked up 26 knockouts from 29 wins. Fury is elusive and uses his reach advantage, footwork and in-ring intelligence to frustrate and outmanoeuvre his opponents. Both men have been down before, and both have recovered, so knockdowns, potentially involving both fighters, could be on the cards.
Current sports betting odds online make Fury the narrow favourite. This is likely due to the most recent exploits of both, and Joshua suffering a bad knockout to Dubois. But all this could change depending on how both men look in their upcoming bouts.
The Verdict
Joshua vs Fury or Fury vs Joshua, however you want to frame it, is a mega fight, regardless of both men now being in their mid-thirties and past their primes. It’s difficult to call a winner for a number of reasons, and this is why millions will tune in to watch.
It may not be the defining moment it could have been, but there are bragging rights up for grabs, and that should be more than enough to produce fireworks when they finally step through the ropes.
