Joshua Has Fury Fight Contract, But a July Warm-Up Bout May Come First

Anthony Joshua is in possession of the contract for his highly anticipated showdown with Tyson Fury, but he may participate in a warm-up fight in July before facing his British rival in November. Following his points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Fury has already committed to the all-British super fight and issued a fresh challenge to Joshua. Joshua, however, has not made a commitment to the Fury fight due to speculation that he might engage in a warm-up bout in July, following a serious car accident in Nigeria that resulted in the tragic deaths of his friends. Promoter Eddie Hearn stated that they received the contract last week and are reviewing it, emphasizing the need to ensure Joshua is ready to return to the ring. Hearn expects Joshua to return to the ring in July, with possible opponents including Deontay Wilder, and expressed interest in arranging back-to-back fights against Wilder and Fury. Wilder's camp, however, claims that no discussions have taken place regarding a potential fight.