Anthony Joshua faced boos from the crowd as he refrained from committing to a bout with Tyson Fury. Fury secured a dominant win over Arslanbek Makhmudov in a lackluster fight on Saturday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Despite Fury’s call-out for a matchup with Joshua, the latter chose not to step into the ring immediately and may opt for an interim fight prior to facing Fury later this year.
In response to Fury’s challenge, Joshua dismissed the idea of an immediate fight, claiming that negotiations and formalities needed to be addressed. He emphasized that he is not seeking attention but is focused on the actual fight. Joshua hinted at the possibility of a warm-up bout considering his recent life events, indicating a need to prioritize personal matters.
For years, both British fighters, Joshua and Fury, have been on a collision course, but obstacles have prevented their showdown. Previous agreements were derailed, leading to different matchups for each fighter. Despite initial plans for a showdown in 2021, Fury ended up facing Deontay Wilder, while Joshua lost his world titles to Oleksandr Usyk.
The long-anticipated clash between Joshua and Fury seems closer now with both fighters set to have warm-up fights before a potential autumn showdown. However, Joshua’s return was delayed by a tragic car accident in Nigeria following his victory over Jake Paul last December. The boxing world eagerly awaits the eventual meeting of these two heavyweight champions.