Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua still at odds over mega-fight

Tyson Fury stopped Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 11 April and immediately leaned over the ropes to call out Anthony Joshua. AJ stayed in his seat. Another chapter in the decade-long saga that has defined British heavyweight boxing without ever producing the actual fight.

According to the BBC, Fury's camp insists the contract has been signed on their end, while Joshua has yet to commit. Saudi Arabia's Turki Alalshikh had spoken before and after the fight as though an announcement was imminent, but Joshua refused to play along with the in-ring theatrics. Netflix even jumped the gun by posting on social media that the bout was set for autumn, a claim Frank Warren quickly corrected.

Backstage, Fury vented his frustration. "He didn't want the smoke," he told reporters, per the BBC. "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." Fury went further, saying he has a three-fight deal this year but only one opponent interests him. "If it isn't AJ next, I'm not interested in boxing again. It's either him or I'm gone."

Why Joshua might need a warm-up bout

Joshua has fought just once at elite level in the past 18 months — a win over Jake Paul — and endured a December car crash that killed two close friends. Fury returned from his fifth retirement against Makhmudov to shake off ring rust, and some believe Joshua should do the same before stepping in with the Gypsy King. Fury acknowledged AJ's personal struggles but added, "We've all had problems — that's life. Taking interim fights, you can get chinned by anyone."

The timing of Fury's comeback was deliberate. Hours after the Makhmudov fight, season two of At Home with the Furys dropped on Netflix, tying his return to a platform with 325 million global subscribers. If the fight does materialise, Croke Park has emerged as a leading venue candidate, with its 80,000-seat capacity already part of the conversation. Both men remain past their peak, but the fascination refuses to fade, and the sport has few alternatives who can match their combined draw.

Source: bbc.com