Plans for Fury vs. Joshua at Wembley in 2026
Frank Warren is targeting Wembley Stadium for a September 2026 showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, setting up what could be the biggest all-British heavyweight clash in boxing history, reports BritPanorama.
The promotional plans follow Joshua’s recent victory against Jake Paul, which ended in the sixth round during their fight in Miami. This bout attracted significant attention, drawing 33 million viewers on Netflix.
In the aftermath of his win, Joshua directly challenged Fury, calling for a match between the two domestic rivals. Warren believes both fighters will require preliminary bouts before they can face off, maintaining that Wembley is the ideal venue for such a monumental event in British sports.
Joshua’s next fight is confirmed for February in Saudi Arabia, where he is linked with a matchup against kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven, who is also 36 years old. In contrast, Fury remains on holiday, which makes a February return seem unlikely, according to his promoter.
The 37-year-old Fury, who announced his retirement in January following back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk, is expected to return to the ring around April. Warren has previously indicated that this timeframe is essential for Fury to remain active, as he cannot afford to remain out of the ring for seven months after nearly a year of inactivity.
Warren discussed the complexities involved in scheduling a match for Wembley, noting that Fury would need sufficient time to prepare, provided the financial aspects are agreeable. He mentioned having recent conversations with Fury about the conditions necessary for him to be ready to fight.
While Fury has kept up his fitness, he is not currently training for any specific fight. Warren expressed no surprise at the outcome of Joshua’s bout against Paul, given the significant physical disparity between the two fighters. He remarked, “It ended as I expected it to end with the bigger man knocking out the smaller guy.”
Warren’s assessment of the current landscape suggests that while Joshua’s recent performance was commendable, he might struggle against Fury due to their respective histories and the contrasting nature of their last losses. “Tyson’s two losses were against Usyk in very close fights. AJ’s last loss, he was on the floor five or six times against Daniel Dubois and Tyson can punch,” he stated. “It’ll be too much for AJ for me all day long.”
As plans develop, the anticipation for this potential showdown builds, with boxing enthusiasts keenly observing how both fighters navigate their paths leading up to what promises to be an electrifying encounter.
