British boxing’s historic giant showdown is finally a reality. Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua meet in a fight that promoter Eddie Hearn refers to as “the fight of all time” – and the deal has now been confirmed.
- April came the long-awaited news: Fury and Joshua will finally be in the ring together. The fight between the two most high-profile British heavyweights in modern times has been discussed since 2011 – and now it looks like the dream showdown is finally becoming a reality with more details.
“The Gypsy King” made a comeback after over 15 months of ring break when he beat the 1.98-metre tall Russian Arslabek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April. That same month, Joshua announced that he would be back in the ring for the first time in seven months – against Kristian Prenga.
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Here’s everything you need to know about Fury vs Joshua: date, venue, tickets, and what’s been said about the blockbuster showdown.
When does the match start?
The fight is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026 – assuming Joshua beats 35-year-old Kristian Prenga in July. The Albanian has won all 20 of his wins by knockout and has only one career loss on points.
Joshua knocked out YouTube star Jake Paul in Miami in December – a fight that was criticized for being a mismatch. Later that month, Joshua experienced a personal tragedy when two members of his team died in a car accident in Nigeria.
“This is a comeback game after some pretty serious injuries and a very traumatic time in his life,” Hearn told iFL TV on April 24.
“We only have one such fight – and that is if we have signed to face Tyson Fury. We have to be 100 percent in body and mind when we meet him.
Where will the fight go?
Hearn has stated that the fight will be “100 percent” in London – with Wembley Stadium being the most likely venue. Joshua set an attendance record for a British boxing match when he faced Daniel Dubois at the National Stadium in September 2024.
But there has also been speculation that Saudi Arabia’s head of entertainment Turki Alalshikh could host the fight in Las Vegas. UFC president Dana White has claimed that he knows both the date and the place – and that he will promote the fight.
“We have a good relationship with Turki Alalshikh,” Hearn told BBC Sport in June. “If he comes and says he wants the fight in America, we’ll be disappointed. I don’t think there’s a single person on earth who doesn’t think this fight should go on in Britain.
“But he pays the bill – and the bill is unreasonable. So we need to find a way to make it work. If they want to change the contract, we have to renegotiate and start over.
Hearn also clarified that the contract clearly states that Dana White and Zuffa Boxing cannot be organizers of the event – unless Hearn himself allows it.
“And that’s not quite how I feel right now,” he said.
Tickets and promotion
Matchroom Boxing will promote the fight alongside the Riyadh season events, according to Hearn. Tickets for Joshua’s previous fight against Dubois went on sale barely three months before the event – and the same is expected this time.
What’s at stake?
Fury won his first 35 fights, including defeating Hall of Famer Wladimir Klitschko in his 25th fight – as he secured the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO and The Ring titles.
Now, at 37 years old, he challenged Deontay Wilder for the WBC belt in a draw in 2018, before winning and defending his title in two consecutive fights against the American in 2021 and 2022. The losses to Oleksandr Usyk mean that Fury currently has no titles.
Joshua, a 2012 Olympic gold medalist, has won 29 of his 33 fights – 26 of them by knockout. He beat Klitschko at Wembley in 2017 to start his first spell as overall world champion. After two straight losses to Usyk, he took four wins in a row, before being stopped by Dubois.
What does Hearn say about the fight?
“The good news is that when we take a fight like this, it’s because we’ve signed to face Tyson Fury,” Hearn said.
“All you have to do is bite your nails in July for 36 minutes – or less – and you don’t have the fight of the century, but the fight of the ages.
Fury vs Joshua: Records
| Tyson Fury | Anthony Joshua | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 37 years old | 36 years old |
| Professional debut | December 2008 | October 2013 |
| Victories | 35 (24 on KO) | 29 (26 on KO) |
| Defeat | 2 (0 on KO) | 4 (2 on KO) |
| Draws | 1 | 0 |
One thing is certain: When two of the greatest British heavyweights of all time finally meet, it will be box office history – regardless of the outcome.
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