Tyson Fury has threatened to retire for the sixth time if British rival Anthony Joshua doesn’t sign his part of a deal to confirm a long-awaited heavyweight showdown later this year.
Former unified world champion Joshua watched at ringside at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday as Fury blew away the cobwebs after 16 months out of the ring with an emphatic points victory over Russia’s Arslanbek Makhmudov.
Once Fury had claimed a unanimous 120-108 120-108 119-109 win on the judges’ scorecards, he grabbed the microphone to beckon Joshua into the ring, declaring “let’s give the fans what they want – the battle of Britain”.
Initially, Joshua stared in silence at the ‘The Gypsy King’ before eventually giving his response, but declining to step into the ring.
“Tyson, you are a clout chaser. I’ve never had a problem getting in the ring with you. I punched you when we were kids. After watching you tonight, I’d do it again,” Joshua said.
“I’ll see you in that ring in due time. You won’t tell me what to do. When you’re ready, you tell me your conditions and I’ll tell you when I’m ready. I’m the landlord, remember that, you work for me.”
Joshua was involved in a fatal car accident in Nigeria in December which killed two of his close friends and has not fought since.
“I was in a serious incident. There’s real stuff happening in my life. I’m not ducking anyone. Once I’m 100 per cent, I’ll fight,” he said.
In the post-fight press conference Fury said he has signed his part of a contract to take on Joshua but promoter Frank Warren said “AJ” had yet to sign his part of the deal, which would see the pair clash reportedly at London’s Wembley Stadium or Dublin’s Croke Park in September.
And with the “shellshocked” Joshua not committing to the fight and refusing to face off with Fury in the ring, the 37-year-old sensed the long-awaited showdown between the two English rivals may never happen.
Fury called it quits for the fifth time shortly after losing to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024 for a second time — his only two professional defeats.
