Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua confirm heavyweight showdown for 2026
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have reportedly put pen to paper on their long-anticipated heavyweight showdown, with the bout confirmed for 2026, reports BritPanorama.
While a precise date and location remain unconfirmed, negotiations are currently focused on staging the all-British clash as the headline attraction of a major card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during September. The Ring Magazine, which is owned by Riyadh Season chief Turki Alalshikh, reported that “sources have advised The Ring that a highly anticipated showdown between former heavyweight champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will headline a Riyadh Season mega-event in 2026.”
The deal has been orchestrated by Alalshikh, boxing’s most influential power broker, who secured separate agreements with both camps. Discussions have been ongoing for months between Alalshikh, promoters Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn, and Fury’s manager Spencer Brown.
Warren told Telegraph Sport in November: “If the right money is there, I suspect we will see the Joshua fight. I’m sure they will do it next year. I think we’ll see Tyson back in 2026. And if it does happen, it would fill out Wembley four times in a heartbeat.” Brown added: “Tyson has stayed fit and ready to go. It’s up to the big man to decide if he wants to fight again, but there’s one man that can really make Fury-Joshua happen again, and that’s Turki.”
The report also indicates that both the Gypsy King and AJ will see action in separate fights as part of Riyadh Season. As it stands, Joshua faces social media personality-turned-boxer Jake Paul next Saturday in an eight-round contest that will be broadcast on Netflix. The former two-time unified champion enters that fight following his fifth-round stoppage defeat to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 2024. Fury, meanwhile, will emerge from what amounts to a year away from the ring after suffering consecutive losses to undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Boxing enthusiasts have endured years of anticipation for this matchup between Britain’s two dominant heavyweights of the past decade. The encounter would serve as a fitting conclusion to an era that has produced seven spectacular Saudi Arabian events and eight stadium spectacles across Wembley, the Principality Stadium, and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Together, Fury and Joshua have redefined British boxing’s global reputation through their contrasting careers. Even without championship belts at stake, this domestic heavyweight collision remains among the most significant and lucrative contests in combat sports.
In a sport filled with uncertainty, these two titans are set to ignite the ring once more. Whether this fight unfolds in Riyadh or elsewhere, it promises to be a defining moment in a narrative that has captivated fans for years.
