AJ Refuses to Commit to Fury Fight Despite Call-Out

Anthony Joshua has stated that he will likely face Tyson Fury in his next bout, but has refused to commit to the highly anticipated British heavyweight showdown after being challenged by his rival. Joshua was in attendance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to watch Fury defeat Arslanbek Makhmudov, and was immediately called out by the Gypsy King. Fury roared to the crowd, 'Next, I want to give you the fight you've all been waiting for. I want you, AJ, Anthony Joshua. Let's give the fight fans what they want - the Battle of Britain.' However, Joshua remained non-committal, stating that he has never had a problem getting in the ring with Fury, but will not be told what to do. Instead, he insisted that Fury must come to him with his terms and conditions, saying 'I'm the boss, you work for me. I'm the landlord.' Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, also refused to engage in negotiations in the ring, instead opting for official contract discussions. In an interview, Joshua clarified his stance, saying 'In my heart, I'll fight Tyson Fury tomorrow, but I'm not here to get clout, I'm here to fight. Contracts will be sent over, and we'll go through the nitty-gritty.' A bout between Joshua and Fury has been mooted for years, but has never come to fruition. The two British heavyweights were set to fight for the undisputed title in 2021, but Deontay Wilder exercised a rematch clause, leading to a third bout between him and Fury instead. Joshua has only fought once since losing to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, and is currently dealing with the fallout from a serious car accident in Nigeria that resulted in the deaths of his friends. He says that his focus is on his personal life ahead of confirming his next fight, but insists that he will be ready to face Fury when the time is right.