Heavyweight star, Tyson Fury, has unequivocally stated that an all-British showdown with Anthony Joshua remains his absolute priority following his upcoming comeback fight against Arslanbek Makhmudov.
The “Gypsy King” emphasized that the highly anticipated clash stands as the biggest fight in the sport, revealing he would eagerly choose a chance to knock out his long-time rival over winning another world title.
Fury made his intentions crystal clear while speaking to Sky Sports ahead of his scheduled April 11 return to the ring at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“Of course, if it’s a fight to be made, let’s get it done. Let me get Makhmudov out the way, and we’re on. They’re all options because nothing’s promised.
“The biggest fight for me in world boxing and the biggest fight in the world of boxing is me versus AJ. Even today, even after all these years, it’s still the biggest fight in boxing, it’s still the biggest fight,” Fury declared.
While Joshua currently tops his wishlist, Fury noted that other high-stakes matchups remain on his radar.
He cited a potential trilogy fight with Oleksandr Usyk or a world title clash against the likes of Fabio Wardley or Daniel Dubois as alternative possibilities. However, the allure of finally settling the score with Joshua holds a special significance for him.
“After that, for me, it would be me versus Usyk, or the winner of them two. Three-time world champion’s pretty good, it’s got a good ring to it. But being a five-time world champion or the chance to knock AJ out, I’d take the chance to knock AJ out.
“Because once you’ve won all the belts before, which I have, it’s always nice to be a world champion, great. But it’s not the be-all and end-all. I think the fans are more interested in me and Joshua in the street rather than another world title,” Fury explained.
This confirmation from Fury arrives just as Joshua intensifies his own preparations for a summer return to the ring.
The British-Nigerian boxer, who stopped Jake Paul in six rounds last December before surviving a tragic car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two close friends has recently returned to a full training camp.
He has been spotted working alongside Usyk and trainer Iegor Golub as he works his way back to top physical form.
Earlier in the week, promoter Eddie Hearn firmly denied circulating reports that a Joshua-Fury fight had already been signed.
Hearn insisted there was “absolutely nothing agreed,” although he did acknowledge that deep and serious conversations about the blockbuster bout had taken place prior to Joshua’s accident.
Hearn has targeted a July return date for Joshua, with Dillian Whyte reportedly among the names being considered as a potential warm-up opponent.
In the meantime, Oleksandr Usyk is also staying active. The Ukrainian is currently preparing for his WBC heavyweight title defense against Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven, scheduled to take place at the iconic Giza necropolis in Egypt.
Usyk has publicly stated that he intends to fight only twice more before retiring, explicitly mentioning a trilogy bout with Fury as one of his final two objectives.
