Joshua Holds Fury Fight Contract, But May Take a Warm-Up Bout First

Anthony Joshua is in possession of the contract for his highly anticipated battle with Tyson Fury, but he may opt for a warm-up fight in July before facing his British counterpart in November. Fury has already signed on for the all-British showdown and has issued a fresh challenge to Joshua following his victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Joshua's commitment to the Fury fight has been uncertain, particularly after being involved in a severe car accident in Nigeria that resulted in the tragic loss of his friends Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele in December. Promoter Eddie Hearn stated, 'We received the contract last week and are currently reviewing it. Considering the recent events in AJ's life, we want to ensure he is ready to return to the ring.' Hearn expects Joshua to return to the ring in July, with the possibility of facing Deontay Wilder before taking on Fury. Wilder has expressed interest in fighting Joshua, and Hearn is open to the idea of AJ facing Wilder and Fury back-to-back. However, Wilder's camp claims that no discussions have taken place yet. Deontay Wilder's co-manager, Shelly Finkel, said, 'This is all new to me. I would like to speak with Eddie to see what he is thinking before I say anything.'