Tyson Fury sets sights on one man if Anthony Joshua doesn’t sign to fight

Tyson Fury has revealed his contingency plan if a long-awaited clash with Anthony Joshua fails to materialise.

The pair have been on a collision course for what feels like an age, yet now their all-British showdown finally seems as if it could come to fruition.

Or at least, this is what Turki Alalshikh implied at yesterday’s Netflix event, shortly after Fury made a successful return by unanimously outpointing Arslanbek Makhmudov.

It was not an entirely vintage performance from the 37-year-old, who often looked his age as he laboured through 12 rounds at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, shaking off 16 months of inactivity.

But still, it came as little surprise when Fury called out Joshua, his long-term rival, during his post-fight interview, urging him to sign on the dotted line.

Matching this enthusiasm, Alalshikh suggested their heavyweight dustup could soon be announced, while Joshua responded with a slightly different tone when handed the microphone.

Instead of playing Fury’s game, the 36-year-old decided to take a more measured approach, insisting that nothing is confirmed until both sides are satisfied with the deal.

But while Joshua represents Fury’s preferred option, ‘The Gypsy King’ equally said at his post-fight press conference that a trilogy showdown with Oleksandr Usyk could also make sense.

“I wanna fight Anthony Joshua – that’s it. Or, if AJ don’t want it, then let’s get Usyk in the trilogy. But I need some f**king fair play.”

Clearly, Fury has maintained his belief that, despite twice being outpointed by Usyk in 2024, he should have had his hand raised on both occasions.

The chance to exact his revenge therefore represents an enticing possibility, while Joshua, who has not fought since stopping Jake Paul in December, may still consider a ‘warm-up’ fight.