Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have been pencilled in to fight next year, 10 years since their rivalry began.
Fury and Joshua have seemingly been on a collision course for a decade and came closest to meeting in the ring in 2021 when terms were agreed for what would then have been an undisputed fight. But Fury was dragged into a legal battle with Deontay Wilder and instead forced to fight the American for a third time.
Joshua went on to lose his world titles to Oleksandr Usyk as the Ukrainian outclassed him first in London and then in their rematch in Saudi Arabia. But Joshua has won four fights since; against Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou, to propel himself back into contention.
He will return to the ring in September at Wembley against the winner of Daniel Dubois ' clash with Filip Hrgovic on June 1. They will likely contest the IBF world title with the winner of Fury's clash with Usyk set to be stripped of the belt immediately due to outstanding mandatory commitments.
Should Joshua go on to become a world champion for a third time - and Fury beats Usyk tonight and in their October rematch - the Brits should clash back in Saudi Arabia next February ahead of a potential rematch in the UK.
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Joshua will be at ringside tonight to watch his rivals but has been warned he is wasting time if he wants to bring forward a clash with Fury. "There’s not much he can build because we got two fight deals," Fury said. "So if can build what he wants to, he has to wait until it’s all over, then we can negotiate or whatever.
"I think now Saudis are involved and His Excellency is controlling everything, and he can make these fights like that, because money is not a problem and it’s always about money in these deals, why they don’t get made. So when money is no object – being then it’s easy. It’s easy to make. All of the fights are easy to make. You know, whatever fights are out there in any weight division, the Turk will make them. Easy."
And Fury's promoter Frank Warren added: "There’s obviously a rematch clause but if Tyson comes through, of course we want to see the big fight between Fury and AJ but I don’t think that will be the fight aftwerwards. I don’t think it will be because there is so much money involved for the loser of this fight.
"I don’t know what sort of step-aside money you’d give them to do that. It would only happen if someone was out of action after this firdst fight - that would be a thing. But it will come around quick. Joshua will fight the winner in February."
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