Tyson Fury finally responds to reports he will face Anthony Joshua next year: “That’s the truth”

Once again, talk of Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua has ramped up in recent months. ‘The Gypsy King’ himself has now weighed in.

It is a fight that, while still sought after, should have happened many years ago. Contracts, rematch obligations, defeats and failed public talks along the way prevented it.

However, with both men fast approaching the end of their careers, it is now or never. Though Fury announced his retirement in January and will not fight in 2025, it is widely expected he has changed course and will return in 2026. Boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh is said to be doing everything he can behind the scenes to make sure the ‘AJ’ fight happens if he does.

Speaking at the Statom Group Celebrity Ball 2025, the 37-year-old addressed the numerous times teams have failed to put pen to paper.

“I can stand up here today and tell you hand on heart, the gospel truth, that me and AJ were supposed to be fighting, a done deal, about twenty times. For whatever reason something always happens. So I can stand here and say I’m optimistic the fight is going to happen but the realism of it is, something always comes up and [the fight with Joshua] doesn’t happen. So maybe it’s never meant to happen.”

Asked by host Adam Smith if £250 million would get it over the line, Fury said that the purse doesn’t matter.

“It might do. F–king £2.50 might do it. Numbers are irrelevant, the fight’s been supposed to happen 20 times and it hasn’t … So I give up on the motherf–ker. I give up on it all. If it happens, great. If it doesn’t, also great.”

However, in a slight boost for fans, the former heavyweight champions manager, Spencer Brown, then expressed his confidence that the match-up will indeed take place.

After Joshua’s fight with Jake Paul this month, he is pencilled in for a February return in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Insiders suggest that Fury may then return in April or May, and wins for both men could set up a September clash.