Tyson Fury issues ultimatum: ‘No Anthony Joshua, no more boxing!’

By Tolulope Oke

Tyson Fury has made it clear that unless Anthony Joshua is his next opponent, he has no interest in continuing his boxing career.

Fury returned to the ring in emphatic fashion at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, defeating Arslanbek Makhmudov by unanimous decision to mark his first fight in 16 months. But rather than celebrating a comeback, the British heavyweight turned his attention squarely to a long‑awaited showdown with fellow Brit Anthony Joshua.

In his post‑fight news conference, Fury delivered an ultimatum.

“Let’s get the fight on. Here’s the thing – if it ain’t Anthony Joshua next, I’m not interested in boxing,” Fury declared. “I’ll eat a thousand Easter eggs, go up to 35 stone. I’m out. I’m not interested.”

Fury made it clear he’s not motivated by titles, belts or rankings anymore — only the Joshua fight will satisfy him.

“I’m not interested in up‑and‑comers trying to make a name off me. I don’t care about belts. I only care now about AJ. That’s the defining fight for British boxing.”

The Fury‑Joshua matchup has tantalised fight fans for years, nearly coming to fruition in 2021 for the undisputed heavyweight crown before negotiations collapsed. Talk of the bout has surfaced repeatedly since, but deals have consistently fallen through.

Promoter Frank Warren insists Fury has signed and agreed to fight Joshua, and Fury’s camp says the fight will “100% happen this year,” though no date or site has been confirmed. Potential venues such as London’s Wembley Stadium and Dublin’s Croke Park have been discussed.

Netflix even teased the fight on social media, saying it’s scheduled for this autumn.

Joshua, however, remained measured in his reaction. Instead of entering the ring for Fury’s call‑out, he stayed in his seat and spoke cautiously about the prospects.

“There’s a negotiation that you go through. I’ve sat at that table with him many times,” Joshua said in an interview with Netflix. “In my heart, I’ll fight Tyson Fury tomorrow, especially after watching this fight. I’m not here to get clout. I’m here to fight.”

Joshua added that a fight could happen, but stressed that contracts need to be finalised and that he still has personal matters to work through following a serious car crash in Nigeria in December that claimed the lives of two close friends.

“I need time to consider my next steps… But I’m here. I’m keeping my eye on the game. There’s real stuff happening in my life. I’m not ducking anyone.”