Anthony Joshua is in possession of the contract for his highly anticipated showdown with Tyson Fury, but there is a possibility that he may engage in a warm-up fight in July before facing his British rival in November. Fury has already committed to the fight by signing the contract and has issued a fresh challenge to Joshua following his victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
However, Joshua has not made a commitment to the fight due to speculation that he may take a warm-up bout in July, after being involved in a serious car accident in Nigeria that resulted in the tragic loss of his friends. Promoter Eddie Hearn stated that they received the contract last week and are currently reviewing it, ensuring that Joshua is ready to return to the ring after a series of life events.
Hearn expects Joshua to return to the ring in July, with the original plan to fight in March and then face Fury in August having been delayed. There is speculation that Joshua's July bout could be against Deontay Wilder, with Hearn indicating that they are exploring the possibility of Joshua facing Wilder and then Fury in back-to-back fights. Hearn believes it is likely that Joshua will have a tune-up fight, given the circumstances, and that Wilder would be a separate deal. Wilder's camp, however, claims that no discussions have taken place yet.