Joshua Holds Fury Contract, but July Warm-Up Fight Possible

Anthony Joshua has received the contract for a highly anticipated matchup with Tyson Fury, but may first engage in a warm-up fight in July before facing his British counterpart in November. Fury has already committed to the all-British showdown and recently challenged Joshua following his victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov. However, Joshua's involvement in the Fury fight remains uncertain due to his recent car accident in Nigeria and speculation surrounding a potential July bout. Promoter Eddie Hearn stated, 'We received the contract last week and are reviewing it. Given the circumstances in AJ's life, we want to ensure he's ready to return to the ring.' Hearn expects Joshua to resume training soon and anticipates his return to the ring in July, with a possible fight against Deontay Wilder. The original plan was to fight in March, followed by a matchup against Fury in August, but this has been delayed. Hearn expressed interest in having Joshua face Wilder and Fury 'back-to-back,' but Wilder's camp claims no discussions have taken place yet.