AJ Joshua Refuses to Commit to Fury Showdown After Being Called Out

Anthony Joshua has stated that he will likely face Tyson Fury next, but has refused to commit to the highly anticipated British heavyweight fight after being called out by his rival. Following Fury's victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Joshua was in attendance and was immediately challenged by Fury to a fight, but he remained non-committal. Joshua expressed his willingness to fight Fury, but only when the terms and conditions of the bout have been officially agreed upon. He emphasized that he is not interested in engaging in a war of words or hype, and that his focus is on the actual fight. The proposed bout between Joshua and Fury, two of the greatest heavyweights of their generation, has been discussed for years but has yet to materialize. In 2021, the two fighters had agreed to a showdown for the undisputed heavyweight champion title, but it was canceled due to Deontay Wilder exercising a rematch clause. Joshua attributed the delay in confirming the fight to Fury's approach, stating that his rival has a history of retiring and returning to the sport. Joshua himself has only fought once since losing to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, and has been dealing with the aftermath of a serious car accident in Nigeria that resulted in the deaths of his friends. He emphasized that his priority is to tend to his personal life and ensure that he is 100% ready before committing to the fight. The ball is now in Fury's court, with Joshua stating that he will be ready to face him when the time is right.