TYSON FURY TARGETS ANTHONY JOSHUA IMMEDIATELY AFTER SATURDAY'S CLASH WITH MAKHMUDOV
Is Anthony Joshua vs Wilder happening? Eddie Hearn reveals AJ’s recovery plan and the path to a Tyson Fury mega-fight.
Tyson Fury really wants Anthony Joshua as his next opponent, but he’s looking for a tune-up fight first. This weekend, Fury finally steps back into the ring in London, facing Arslanbek Makhmudov. He’s hoping to shake off any ring rust and set up some massive fights for later in the year. Joshua sits right at the top of that list.
Everyone thought Fury and Joshua would meet this summer, but things changed after Joshua’s car accident last December. Joshua now seems focused on getting a warm-up fight himself before diving into anything big with Fury.
Still, Fury is eager to go straight into a Joshua showdown. Speaking about it, Fury said, “I've got Arslanbek Makhmudov to think of on Saturday night, but if all goes well, Joshua is the fight I want next. I know he just had his fight with Jake Paul, whatever, a fight’s a fight. Yeah, I’ll be ready for that straight away after this.”
Fury hasn’t picked a date for his next fight yet, but he’s aiming for three bouts this year. He might want to fit in another match before going toe-to-toe with Joshua, so their schedules might not line up perfectly.
On Joshua’s side, he’s back in training with Oleksandr Usyk and planning a summer return. He was even at ringside to watch Deontay Wilder beat Derek Chisora. After the fight, Wilder called Joshua out, leading to an awkward face-off.
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, thinks Wilder could work as the ideal tune-up before facing Fury at the end of the year. Hearn said, “This is what I want. We need a warm-up fight before Tyson Fury, because AJ’s recovering from his accident. We’ll take Deontay Wilder as that warm-up and then fight Tyson Fury in December. And I’ve got to give credit to Wilder—he looked sharper against Chisora than he has in a while.”
TYSON FURY CONFESSES "HEARTBREAKING" DOUBTS AHEAD OF MAKHMUDOV CLASH THIS SATURDAY NIGHT
Fury vs Makhmudov preview: Tyson talks Netflix debut, retirement jitters, and his "shoot me" warning to his team.
Tyson Fury’s got some doubts kicking in as his big comeback draws near. After losing twice to Usyk in 2024, Fury decided he’d had enough and hung up his gloves. He stayed out of the ring for a whole year, then, in a move probably nobody expected, announced he was coming back on January 4.
He’s set to fight Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this Saturday, with Netflix streaming the bout live. But, honestly, Fury’s feeling the jitters. Watching Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora go at it the other night didn’t help, either. Their wild brawl at the O2 ended with Wilder grabbing a split decision, but the fight looked pretty rough, almost sad. Fury admitted he was shaken up seeing two veteran fighters struggle; it made him wonder if he could be heading down the same path.
He’s coming out of retirement to take on Russian heavyweight Makhmudov in London on April 11. Fans can catch the action live on Netflix, which you get free if you grab Sky’s £15 Essential TV bundle or their £24 Ultimate TV bundle (that one also throws in HBO Max and Disney+).
Talking to The Sun, Fury said, “After watching Deontay and Chisora the other night, it was hard to watch for me. It was sad. Heartbreaking. I’d never seen two men slide as much in my life as those two. I’m thinking, ‘Am I f***ing next? Is this me?”
In another interview, this time with Ring Magazine, Fury confessed he’s told his team what to do if things start going south on Saturday night against Makhmudov. “I said to the boys, ‘If I’m even 10 per cent as bad as those guys in my fight, take me out to the field and shoot me. Put me out to pasture.’”
He knows he’s been away a while. “By the time the fight comes around on Saturday, I’ll have been out of the ring 16 months. At 37 years old, 16 months is a long time. I have a little bit of stuff to think about in my own mind and see how I am.”
ANTHONY JOSHUA ADMITS USYK IS THE SUPERIOR FIGHTER IN NEW "HONEST" INTERVIEW
Anthony Joshua admits Oleksandr Usyk is the superior boxer while joining his rival’s camp to learn "elite skills" for 2026.
Anthony Joshua isn’t pretending anymore. After losing twice to Oleksandr Usyk, he’s honest about where he stands. Usyk’s got the upper hand, and Joshua isn’t sugarcoating it.
“I’d be stupid to say I’m better than him. He beat me twice, didn’t he? Maybe I can win in the future, but right now, he’s better than me. I’ve got to give him credit,” Joshua told MF Pro and Radio Raheem.
That kind of honesty is rare, especially in heavyweight boxing, where guys usually spend years dreaming up excuses or blaming bad judges. Not Joshua. He’s ditching the whole “invincible AJ” act, which messed with his head after the loss to Andy Ruiz. Instead, he’s almost taking a page from Rocky III, ready to start over, willing to learn from the guy who’s on top.
Joshua isn’t playing the king anymore. He’s back to being the hungry challenger, which is probably when he’s at his best. He’s even training with Iegor Golub, a coach from Usyk’s team, and working out in Usyk’s environment, trading pride for real progress. The “skills” he once brushed aside as less important than brute strength? He’s chasing them now.
“I’m learning from someone better than me. That’s how you improve. Anyone can do it, but you’ve got to put in the work and really want it,” Joshua said.
Usyk, to his credit, has supported Joshua, especially after Joshua’s serious car accident in late 2025. Most heavyweights never admit that someone else simply works harder, but Joshua is using that as motivation.
“We’re not competing against each other, just pushing each other in the gym and supporting each other. Maybe I can win someday, but right now, Usyk’s better,” Joshua admitted.
The thing is, Usyk’s got his own plans; he spelt them out back in March. Joshua isn’t part of his “Three-Fight Roadmap”: Rico Verhoeven on May 23, then the winner of Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois in late 2026 or early 2027, and finally Tyson Fury.
So, if you’re hoping for a trilogy, forget it. Usyk’s moving on, and Joshua’s got to figure out where he fits in next.
