Tyson Fury challenged Anthony Joshua to a long-awaited fight after his points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday; Joshua did not commit to the fight amid speculation that he could take a warm-up bout; Joshua has been absent from the ring since he defeated Jake Paul last December

Anthony Joshua has the contract for a blockbuster battle with Tyson Fury but could take a warm-up fight in July before facing his British rival in November.

Fury has already signed for the long-awaited all-British mega fight and issued a fresh challenge to Joshua after his points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.

Joshua did not commit to the Fury fight amid speculation he could take a warm-up bout in July after he was involved in a serious car accident in Nigeria which resulted in the tragic deaths of his friends Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele in December.

Promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports: “I don’t know if Fury has signed or not, that is his business. If he has then that is great.

“We received the contract last week, we are going through that.

“Obviously there has been a lot happening in AJ’s life and we want to make sure that he is ready to return to the ring.

“He is about to get the all clear in terms of the physical side to return to full training and that is great news.

“We expect to see him back in the ring in July. The original plan was to fight in March, then to fight Tyson Fury in August.

“Given everything that has happened, that has been delayed. July and November are the two dates that have been presented to us now and we expect to move forward.”

There has been speculation that Joshua’s July bout could be against Deontay Wilder.

Wilder welcomed a fight against the two-time world champion in the aftermath of his win over Derek Chisora and Hearn says they are exploring the possibility of AJ facing Wilder then Fury “back-to-back”.

“I think it is very likely [he will have a tune-up fight]. Given what happened, we were supposed to be doing that anyway,” he added.

“Fury has just had his tune-up fight with 12 really vital rounds to get him sharp for the next one and I expect us to do the same.

“Wilder would be a separate deal. We have made it clear we are willing to fight Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury back-to-back.

“I am not being disrespectful that Wilder is a warm-up fight but AJ is very comfortable to go into that fight next.

“That is not the basis of the deal we have been offered but it is one we would be very interested in if it were offered and we want to look at that route.

“Some might perceive that to be the more dangerous option, especially when there is so much riding on Fury against Joshua, Netflix, everybody.

“I think they will probably be looking for a slightly easier option for Joshua like Fury had, with all due respect, and then move straight into that fight.

“100 per cent. [A warm-up fight in July then Fury in November] is the plan.”

Despite the plans Hearn and AJ’s camp would like to get in place, those in Wilder’s camp say that no discussions have taken place as of yet.

Deontay Wilder’s co-manager, Shelly Finkel, told Sky Sports: “This is all new to me.

“I would like to speak with Eddie to see what he is thinking before I say anything.”

Oleksandr Usyk insists his roadmap remains unchanged despite Tyson Fury‘s return to the ring, even as the heavyweight landscape continues to shift around him.

Speaking exclusively to The Daily Mail ahead of his bout with Rico Verhoeven, the former undisputed champion offered a measured assessment of Fury’s victory over Makhmudov, revealing both concern and composure as he watched events unfold.

‘It’s good Tyson won. Congratulations to him,’ Oleksandr Usyk said ahead of his press conference on Tuesday. ‘I received a lot of messages saying, “Did you see? My friend is winning.” I said yes, it is great.

‘It’s normal that people want to know what I thought. I watched the first six rounds but then I turned it off because after that I went to church to pray. But in rounds four and three, I was a little concerned. Boom – Makhmudov was landing and I was thinking, “Be careful. Hands up. Hands up.”‘

Despite those moments of vulnerability, Usyk made clear that Fury’s performance has not altered his long-term ambitions – even with ongoing uncertainty around a potential clash between Fury and Anthony Joshua.

‘No, my plan hasn’t changed. It’s not different after watching him,’ he said. ‘My plan is the same. I have three fights planned, I know what I want and if Fury can be part of that then OK, but things are slightly more complicated now.’

He went on to add: ‘I understand Tyson hasn’t signed with AJ yet, but if AJ and Fury sign the contract, I’ll step back and say, “OK, go ahead,” because I want AJ to beat Tyson.’

Fury’s post-fight theatrics, including calling out Joshua while he sat ringside, drew widespread attention. But Usyk believes Joshua handled the situation with the discipline required at elite level.

‘I don’t think AJ was nervous about it,’ he said. ‘I think now AJ has to prepare properly for a big fight, because after a clash like that, it’s normal for him to have a fight in between.

‘Tyson has had a fight in between and it’s only fair Anthony has one. It’s normal for Tyson to act like this. But AJ has to stay focused and organised for the fight – the fight with Tyson Fury.’

Joshua returned to Spain to rejoin Usyk in training camp the day after Fury’s fight, with the Ukrainian revealing that their conversations focused on Fury’s performance rather than the surrounding drama.

‘Oh, listen, we didn’t talk about that,’ Usyk explained. ‘We spoke about Tyson – how he won, what he did. What happened after the fight is just normal Tyson Fury, every time. A lot of talking: “Hey, you bodybuilder, you sausage,” blah, blah, blah… Yeah but had a joke about it all.’

Away from the spotlight, the pair’s growing camaraderie is perhaps best illustrated by Joshua’s interactions with Usyk’s family. The Ukrainian revealed a lighter side to their partnership, particularly when it comes to his children.

‘The kids are always saying, “Is he my brother? Is he my brother?” Usyk said. ‘My kids ask about him and he asks about my kids. He always says, “How are Kirill and Mikhail? Are they playing basketball?” He takes an interest in what they are doing.

‘Oh my God, Katrina posted that video, and a lot of people were like, “Oh my God, AJ is playing basketball with Usyk’s child, it’s great.” Yeah, but I said to my son that you have to leave him alone sometimes! My son asked, “Hey, can I go play with AJ?” I said no, he must work. AJ said, “No problem,” like it’s normal. But I said, “No, you must read.” And yeah, he accepted it. It’s good.’

Inside camp Usyk’s preparation remains as meticulous as ever. He revealed that his training sessions in the build-up to the Veroheven fight are often accompanied by footage of both modern and past greats- part inspiration, part tactical study.

‘Now I watch Rico Verhoeven’s fights, and sometimes Tyson Fury’s fights, Anthony’s fights,’ he said. ‘Sometimes old fights: Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Mexican fighters like Marco Antonio Barrera.

‘I watch whatever interests me. I watch and then I try to apply it in my training. For example, when I’m on the bike, I’ll say, “OK, stay on the bike like this and watch a fight.” Like Miguel Cotto – I watch and ride the bike at the same time.’

That process, he explained, is split evenly between motivation and analysis.

’50/50,’ he said. ’50 percent is motivation, and 50 percent is studying – looking at what these guys do: their movement, punches, defence. You know, I listen to what the coach says like, “You must step back and punch,” or step forward. For me, it’s 50/50. Sometimes it’s like a teacher, and sometimes it’s motivation, because when you watch, you get energy and you push yourself to do more.’

As his career enters its final chapters, Usyk also admitted he has already begun thinking about life after boxing – revealing that even his retirement announcement has been carefully planned.

While he stopped short of sharing specifics, the mere acknowledgement underlines a fighter acutely aware of time, legacy and timing.

For now though, his focus remains firmly on the present: the next fight, the next challenge, and a heavyweight division still revolving around unfinished business.

Tyson Fury will have to spend some time on the boxing side-lines, where he will certainly be waiting for a response from Anthony Joshua

He secured a wide victory on the judges’ scorecards and promptly challenged British rival Anthony Joshua, who was watching from ringside. However, before any potential showdown with AJ can materialise, Fury and Makhmudov have been prohibited from fighting by the British Boxing Board of Control.

Every fighter competing under BBBoC jurisdiction must comply with a compulsory suspension straight after their bout.

Section 5.4(a) of Regulation 5 in the BBBoC’s Rules and Regulations handbook states: “No Boxer shall box in a contest within six clear days from the date of his last contest.

“The Board or Area Council shall have power to waive this restriction in cases where a late substitute is required but this must be subject to the Boxer having won his last contest within the first two rounds. No boxer shall be permitted to engage in more than one contest on any one day.”

Fury stepped back into the ring following consecutive defeats to heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk – marking his only professional losses thus far. He has now made it abundantly clear that an all-British clash with Joshua is the sole bout that appeals to him.

“I challenge you, Anthony Joshua, to fight me next. Do you accept?” Fury declared to the audience. However, Joshua declined to confirm whether a bout between the two was on the cards, instead branding Fury a “clout chaser” and saying: “You aren’t going to tell me what to do – I’ve been chasing you for 10 years.”

AJ told Netflix: “We’ll see. I was just in a serious incident, maybe four months ago. So I really need to check out what’s going on in my return to the ring.

“But I’m here, I’m keeping my eye in the game. There’s real stuff happening in my life. It’s not like I’m ducking no one. I know what my job is.

“I know what I’m here to do. There’s just real stuff happening in my life that I’ve got to attend to. Once I’m 100 per cent, I’ll be ready.”

Joshua and Fury were expected to face each other in 2021, but a US arbitrator ruled the Gypsy King was legally compelled to fight Deontay Wilder in a rematch as a result of a clause in-putted into their deals. Joshua then had to defend his the WBA, IBF and WBO belts against Oleksandr Usyk, who went on to beat the Brit at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

With Joshua watching from ringside, Fury seized the moment to call out his long-time rival and urged him to step into the ring.

He said: “Next I want to give you the fight you’ve all been waiting for; I want you AJ, Anthony Joshua

“Let’s give the fight fans what they want, a battle of Britain. I challenge you AJ to fight me, The Gypsy King, next. Say yes or no now.”

Joshua, however, declined the invitation and chose not to enter the ring, drawing jeers from sections of the crowd. He later fired back at Fury, saying: “Tyson… you’re a clout chaser. Tyson I’ve never had no problem getting in the ring with you, I punched you out when we were kids, and after seeing you in the ring tonight I’d punch you up again.”

“With all due respect tonight is your night and you I’ll sit across the ring from you in due time. You ain’t gonna 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. I’m the boss, you work for me. I’m the landlord remember that, you work for me.”

Joshua insisted he remains open to the fight but stressed that proper negotiations must take place before any agreement is reached.

“There are negotiations that you go through. I have been at this table with him many times. In my heart, I’d fight Fury tomorrow, especially after watching that. There is not a problem fighting him.

“I am not here to get clout. I am here to fight. The contract will be sent over, we will go through the nitty gritty, and you will probably see us in the ring next, more than likely – but I am not here to get in the ring, shouting in someone’s face. If you look at my track record, I have never done that. I came to watch the fight, I saw what I saw, and I know what I need to do.”

When asked about a possible interim bout, Joshua added: “Good question. There is both options. We’ll see. I was in a serious incident maybe four months ago. I need to really check out what is going on with my return to the ring. But I’m here, keeping my eye on the game. I am not ducking anyone, there is just things in my life I need to tend to.

“I am sorting some things out. My brothers, their parents, the brotherhood of taking care of things. That is the priority right now.”

He then made a beeline for long-term heavyweight rival Joshua who watched on from ringside seemingly waiting in the rings.

But unlike many expected, AJ refused to jump in the ring and come face-to-face with his fellow Briton.

The pair instead exchanged words from opposite sides of the ropes, with Netflix and Turki Alalshikh teasing a fight agreement for this summer.

Joshua later clarified that he didn’t entertain any promotional antics as he didn’t want to take the limelight from Fury, but also that nothing is yet set in stone.

He said: “It’s on him. It’s been hard to get it done in the past.

“Look, he’s the one that retired. I’ve been in the game, never retired. I’ve been standing strong for the last 13 years. It’s on him.

“He disappears, come back, disappears. I’m not here to chase fame, or chase hype.

“I’m a real person and fight whoever is in front of me, whether it’s him or the next person. It don’t matter to me.”

On whether the Fury fight is signed to come next, he added: “[Fury] could be a warm-up fight after what I saw tonight.

“We’ll see. I was just in a serious incident just four months ago and I need to see what’s going on with my return to the ring.

“I’m here and keeping my eye on the game. There’s real stuff happening in my life.”

Fury suggests he has already signed for fight

So for Joshua, the formalities are yet to be completed with a plan not yet set in stone.

The former champion is likely to take a warm-up fight, given he was involved in a car accident in December, and has not competed since.

But Fury is ready to go now and is trying to lure AJ into taking the fight immediately.

Netflix teased that the fight could come on the streaming service in the autumn period.

And the Morecambe giant said he’d signed an agreement and hoped the Joshua fight was on it.

He said: “I’ve signed, done. It doesn’t really matter how many fights it is [on that deal], let’s just get one done.

“He was brought here tonight, ringside, for a reason: to get the fight done. I signed months ago, I don’t know if he’s signed, and by the looks of it, he’s not gonna.

“He didn’t want it, he was shellshocked, he didn’t know what to say. If it was me, I’d have jumped in the ring, faced off, let’s get it on.

“I don’t know [what the purse split is], I’m not interested in all that bulls***. If he gets £600m, good luck to him, and if I get 50p, good luck to me.”

Tyson Fury conserved energy in his comeback fight so that he could call out Anthony Joshua after the fight.

Joshua sat stony-faced close to the ring, initially refusing to reply, but the crowd were enthralled.

Joshua hadn’t seen much to terrify him in the Gypsy King’s routine win over Soviet man-mountain Arslanbek Makhmudov.

Fury was insistent, saying: ‘I challenge you, Anthony Joshua, to fight me, the Gypsy King, next. Do you accept my challenge?

‘Come on you big s***house, are we going to fight or not?’

Joshua finally replied: ‘Tyson, I’ve never had any problem getting in the ring with you. I punched you up when we were kids. And I’ll punch you up again.

‘You ain’t going to tell me what to do. I’ve been chasing you for 10 years. I’m the boss. I’m the landlord. You work for me.’

In the ring, Fury had staged a comfortable, carefully negotiated, virtually risk-free 12-round decision over Makhmudov.

Was it also clever? A performance more than good enough to tempt AJ into the ring.

Before the fight, an icy gale was gusting around the stadium as the fighters arrived, giving rise to the wry thought that it was fortunate there were no flyweights on the open-air card.

Fury had been in sparkling form all week. Four months of training and taking a lion for walks in the heat of Thailand had trimmed the belly and burnished his charm as well as his tan.

This was one happy camper returning to what he does best. He had gone so far as to encourage the giant Makhmudov to lift his own huge self off his feet at the main media event, to demonstrate the physical strength of his hulking Russian opponent.

It filled more seats, if perhaps not quite all the 68,000 – which was the sell-out target.

Saudi Arabian promoter/paymaster His Excellency Turki Alalshikh had said that he expects Fury to take the fight with Joshua ‘back here in London this year’.

Fury made his entrance to the strains of Blue Moon in honour of his late, great friend, Hatton the Hitman. When he disrobed he revealed the tribute ‘RIP Ricky’ emblazoned on his shorts.

True to his reputation as a fast starter, Makhmudov charged out to land the first two fistfuls of swinging punches. Fury rode them, as he does, and the computer beneath that shaven head began coming up with the answers as he boxed his man and then treated him to some big shots of his own.

Out came the jabs, as Fury began to assert his dominance. Not only his orthodox lefts, but some switch-hitting rights as the Russian began to look confused.

Makhmudov the bear wrestler was fittingly rough and wild but took at least as many hefty hits as he delivered in the fourth.

The wiles of Fury were prevailing on the inside as well. It wasn’t pretty but it wasn’t going to be against this brawler. So it continued, Fury’s jabs landing more often than the frustrated Russian’s swings.

A trio of uppercuts hinted at Tyson wanting to finish it. Especially when he had Makhmudov reeling on the ropes midway through the eighth.

Fury was back in the set routine in the ninth and 10th – with a little more wrestling thrown in. Makhmudov was forced on to his knees. Not for the first time.

Sensing restlessness in the crowd, Fury unleashed a flurry of uppercuts in the 11th.

The Russian looked ready to go, but was now in survival mode.

Who would have thought this would go to the last round? After a few more uppercuts to rattle the Russian, and a couple more right hooks for Fury to ride, to a victory as clear as the gaps in Tottenham’s defence.

Eleven rounds to one, surely – and from there to the real business of enticing Joshua to sign up for what will certainly be a sell-out.

After five failed attempts at retirement, Tyson Fury (35-2-1, 24 KOs) returned to the ring once again. At 37 years of age, the Gypsy King rejoined the circus and the race for world titles after defeating Arslanbek Makhmudov (21-3, 19 KOs) by a clear unanimous decision (120-108, 120, 108, 119-109)

Good performance from the ‘Gypsy King’, who showed in the packed Tottenham Hotspur stadium that the 16 weeks of camp have helped him to return with less rust than expected. It should be remembered that he had not been in a ring since his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024.

Fury, who had a nice touch by wearing the words ‘RIP Ricky’ (for his good friend Ricky Hatton) on the back of his shorts, dominated from the start against ‘The Lion’ Makhmudov. It was a fight between two giants, but undoubtedly the best boxing, as well as most of the best and most powerful punches, were the work of the Englishman. A dangerous Makhmudov started the fight well, and scored some hard rights, but Tyson Fury’s jabs and precise hooks determined who was going to be in charge.

From the eighth round onwards, the Russian tried to survive by grappling, which of course an experienced Fury took advantage of to work the ‘Lion’s’ side. The hooks and accurate uppercuts came from the Englishman with great clarity and perhaps some other opponent would have kissed the canvas, but Makhmudov stood his ground. In the tenth the Russian showed signs of being quite stiff and Fury pressed harder in search of the knockout. ‘Gypsy King’ persevered in the pressure, always with great mobility despite the inactivity. Great finish by the Briton, who worked this fight to give his opponent no chance.

After all these years, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are still on different pages.

Following Fury’s dominant victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it briefly felt like the moment had finally arrived when they might share common ground.

The Gypsy King leaned over the ropes and beckoned Joshua towards him. The rivalry suddenly felt alive again.

Joshua was not playing along with any mind games, though. Fury urged him to venture into the ring; Joshua stayed put. Another example of a subtle power struggle which has defined their history.

Joshua was not going to be hurried, but it seemed as though Team Fury – and the Saudi organisers – expected a different script. Before and immediately after the fight, Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Alalshikh, a major power-broker in modern boxing, was speaking as if the fight announcement was imminent.

Netflix, the broadcasters of Saturday night’s comeback show, even announced the all-British fight on social media for autumn in the UK, which Fury’s promoter Frank Warren quickly shot down.

Backstage, Fury cut a weary figure and took aim at Joshua with his words.

“He didn’t want the smoke,” Fury said. “He came ringside to make the fight. If it was me, I’d have jumped in the ring. Ten years in the making and still there’s uncertainty if it’s going to happen next.”

For more than a decade, Fury-Joshua has never got past the hype. In another industry, a project left in development this long might be considered obsolete.

Now, Team Fury say they have signed the contract, and Joshua hasn’t. The blame game will continue.

There is a danger this will be yet another missed opportunity. The perfect moment belonged to 2019, or perhaps 2021. Now the question is simply – will the sport allow this entire generation to close without ever seeing them share a ring?

Fury and Joshua remain hugely important to the sport. If Joshua is the beating heart of boxing in the UK, Fury is the blood that surges through the veins.

He said he has a three-fight deal for this year but insisted there is only one fight he wants.

“If it isn’t AJ next, I’m not interested in boxing again. It’s either him or I’m gone,” Fury said.

Their rivalry has been a big factor in the heavyweight landscape for years without ever delivering the fight that British boxing craves.

Both men are past their peak, yet the fascination refuses to fade, partly because there are few genuine alternatives.

Moses Itauma is one of the most exciting young heavyweights in years, while welterweight Conor Benn continues to command headlines wherever he goes. Yet neither man commands the spotlight of Fury or Joshua.

Put Joshua and Fury almost anywhere – their strongholds of Watford or Morecambe, or Wembley Stadium – and it would still outdraw most fights on the planet.

“Let’s fight. What’s the hold-up?” Fury said.

There is a case for Joshua taking an interim fight. Fury returned from his fifth retirement with what was effectively a warm-up against Makhmudov, while Joshua has only fought YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in the past 18 months.

That means Joshua could enter a Fury fight having spent long spells away from elite-level opposition, whereas Fury showed that he can still navigate 12 rounds against a dangerous, if limited, puncher.

More importantly, Joshua has also had a traumatic few months outside the ring. A car accident in December, which tragically claimed the lives of two close friends, altered the emotional context around him entirely.

“I was in a serious incident maybe four months ago,” Joshua reminded viewers as pressure mounted on him to agree to Fury’s demands.

A lower-stakes contest could allow Joshua to rediscover rhythm without the suffocating spotlight that comes with a Fury build-up.

Fury is sympathetic to Joshua’s situation. He referenced his mental health struggles and how each fighter will have their own reality to deal with.

“We’ve all had problems – that’s life,” Fury said. “Taking interim fights, you can get chinned by anyone.”

Fury is not wrong about one thing – the wait can’t go on for much longer. The sport has already lived through the cautionary tale of Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao, which shattered records when it finally happened but fell flat.

Tyson Fury said that he has signed for fight with Anthony Joshua, but that AJ, his great rival, is yet to agree to heavyweight showdown; Fury declared that the fight must be made “now or never”; Fury called out AJ after a comeback win but said: “In my opinion he didn’t want no smoke”

Tyson Fury has demanded that Anthony Joshua accept his challenge and fight him next.

Fury revealed that he has signed for the all-British mega-fight, but that AJ, his great rival, is yet to agree to their heavyweight showdown.

Ever since Fury first became a world champion, back in 2015, and Anthony Joshua rocketed through the professional ranks after his Olympic triumph at London 2012, the clamour to see the two finally square off has only grown.

Over the years that fight has come close to being made and it seemed on the brink of confirmation after Fury won his comeback fight against Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday night.

Joshua was seated ringside at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and as soon as the fight was over, Fury addressed him directly, called on the fight and beckoned for Joshua to face off in the ring.

Joshua did not confirm that the fight with Fury was on and did not face off with his rival, though didn’t rule out it could still take place.

Fury however characterised that as hesitation and voiced his frustration. “Openly surprised. He was brought here tonight ringside for a reason, to get in that ring and make a face off and get the fight done. I’ve signed. I signed months ago. I don’t know if he signed,” Fury said.

“He was very evasive and didn’t give no definitive answers,” he continued. “I know one thing. He wasn’t saying yes.

“In my opinion he didn’t want no smoke. He didn’t want it. He didn’t look like he wanted it. He was just shell-shocked. Didn’t know what to say, He came ringside to make a fight. If it was me I’d have jumped in that ring, faced off, let’s get it on.

“10 years in the making and still, after all this time, there’s still uncertainty about if this fight’s going to happen next.”