Anthony Joshua says he will “probably” fight Tyson Fury next, but refused to accept his rival’s immediate demands for a long-awaited British heavyweight showdown later this year.
Joshua was ringside to watch Fury beat Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday evening and after the decision was announced, the Gypsy King immediately challenged him to a fight.
“Next, I want to give you the fight you’ve all been waiting for,” Fury roared to cheers from the fans in London.
“I want you, AJ, Anthony Joshua. Let’s give the fight fans what they want – the Battle of Britain. I challenge you Anthony Joshua to fight me, the Gypsy King, next. Do you accept my challenge?”
Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, stood next to Fury imploring Joshua to accept – but he remained stony faced, staring at Fury from his seat.
“I’ve never had no problem getting in a ring with you, he replied. “I punched you up when we were kids and, after watching you tonight, I’ll punch you up again.
“With all due respect, tonight is your night and you know I’ll be across that ring from you in due time.
“You ain’t going to tell me what to do. I’ve been chasing you for the last 10 years. When you’re ready, you come and see me and tell me your terms and conditions and I’ll have you in the ring when I’m ready.
“I’m the boss, you work for me. I’m the landlord. Remember that. You work for me.”
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Highlights of Tyson Fury v Arslanbek Makhmudov. Video courtesy of Netflix and The Ring. Tyson Fury v Arslanbek Makhmudov is now available to watch globally only on Netflix.
No deal in place for Battle of Britain
Alalshikh, who has been guiding an industry-changing venture into boxing, had earlier teased an announcement.
He said he wanted to confirm “the biggest fight in the history of England” and after Fury’s win, he stood next to Fury’s promoter Frank Warren in the ring and said “it’s time.”
However, like his fighter, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn refused to get into the ring – to the disappointment of the thousands of fans.
In an interview with Netflix a few minutes later, Joshua clarified his stance and explained he wanted to agree the fight through official contract negotiations, rather than in the middle of a packed football stadium.
He said: “In my heart I’ll fight Tyson Fury tomorrow, especially after watching that. It’s not a problem with me fighting, but I’m not here to get clout, I’m here to fight.
“Contracts will be sent over. We’ll go through the nitty-gritty and you’ll probably see us in the ring next, more than likely.
“I’m not here to get in the ring and start shouting in somebody’s face. If you look at my track record I’ve never done that.
“I’m not here for clout. I saw what I saw and know what I’ve got to do when I get him in the ring.”
Fury roared at Joshua fromnthe ring after his victory (pic: Chris Dean / Boxxer)
A bout between Joshua and Fury – two of the greatest heavyweights of their generation and two of the best British heavyweights of all time – has been mooted for years but has never come to fruition.
In 2021, the British stars agreed to fight for the undisputed heavyweight champion title, but Deontay Wilder exercised a rematch clause, leading to a third bout between him and Fury instead.
“I’ve been here a million times,” Joshua added.
“I’m not here to clout-chase. Once my name and signature is on the dotted line then it’s a fight. At the minute there’s nothing on the dotted line.
“If I’m going to be honest with you, there’s no fight right now until our names are signed.
“Until that first bell goes there’s no fight. I’ve been here three or four times with Wilder and Fury. This is boring to me.”
Fury’s regular retirements criticised by AJ
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Fury has poked fun at Joshua on social media in the past.
Saturday’s fight was Fury’s fifth comeback after announcing a retirement from the sport and when asked about why the fight hasn’t been agreed, Joshua blamed his rival’s approach.
“He’s the one that retired, I’ve been in the game and never retired. I’ve been standing strong the last 13 years.
“It’s on him. He disappears and comes back. I’m standing strong. I’m not here to chase fame or hype. I’ll fight whoever is in front of me, whether it’s him or the next person, it don’t matter to me.
“I’m always in big fights. It’s just my style. I make the big fights and that’s why I said to him he works for me.”
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Anthony Joshua previously called for a clash with Fury after his win over Jake Paul. (video courtesy of Netflix and MVP.)
Joshua himself has only fought once since losing to Daniel Dubois in September 2024 – and that was against YouTube star Jake Paul last December.
Shortly after winning that bout, he was involved in a serious car accident in Nigeria which resulted in the tragic deaths of his friends Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.
Joshua is continuing to deal with the fallout from the incident and says that remains his focus ahead of confirming his next fight.
“I was just in a serious incident four months ago, so I need to check out what’s going on with my return to the ring.
“I’m here and keeping my eye in the game. There’s real stuff happening in my life, I’m not ducking anybody. I know what my job is and I know what I have to do.
“There’s also real stuff going on in my life that I have to tend to. Once I’m 100 per cent, I’ll be ready. I run the game. Everyone knows I run the game. I’m the big dog.”
He added: “I’m sorting some things out with my brothers and their parents. The brotherhood are taking care of things at the minute. I have to put that first, that’s my priority right now.
“Tyson Fury, if he’s serious, you’ll see him in the ring, I’m a serious person, you’ll see me in the ring. The ball will be in his court.
The view from ringside: confusion, then deflation
Joshua was ringside to watch Fury fight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Sky Sports’ John Dennen at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium…
First confusion, then deflation. Everything seemed in place for a fight that has been at least 10 years in the making.
Fury was back in boxing, after announcing his retirement at the start of last year, and Joshua has been training with the man who has conquered both, unified unbeaten heavyweight world champion Usyk.
The all-British heavyweight mega fight had been trailed earlier on in the night too. The announcement, it seemed, was imminent. The crowd, the press, everyone in attendance, wanted to see Fury and AJ at long last face off and say that yes, indeed this fight is on.
Instead there was an awkward wait, not helped by the sound from Joshua’s microphone not playing out to the stadium.
Joshua didn’t say no to Fury. But he didn’t yes immediately and he declined to step through the ropes to provide the face off we all wanted to see.
The Fury-AJ mega fight must eventually happen. But on Saturday night Anthony Joshua wasn’t going to announce it on Fury’s terms. And so on the interminable wait for what should be inevitable goes on still.
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