Tyson Fury is reportedly weighing the option of stepping into the ring for a preparatory bout before his highly anticipated showdown with Anthony Joshua later this year. The much‑talked‑about Fury‑versus‑AJ encounter is slated to occur before the close of 2026, but before that marquee event, Joshua is set to have a warm‑up fight on July 25 in Riyadh. Having emerged from a year‑long retirement earlier this month, Fury is also contemplating a similar tune‑up, potentially in the same month of July. His long‑time promoter, Frank Warren, hinted at the possibility during an interview with Sky Sports, saying, "He may decide he wants to do another fight." Warren elaborated, "It wouldn't surprise me.
Tyson wants to stay busy. He needs a clear focus on boxing, and that usually means having a date. Right now there is no confirmed date for the Joshua fight because, obviously, AJ is fighting in July." The outcome of Joshua's upcoming bout against the relatively unknown Albanian fighter Kristian Prenga could have a direct impact on whether the Fury‑Joshua fight proceeds as planned. Warren stressed the importance of a victory, noting, "We'll have to talk about that afterwards.
Let's hope he doesn't lose. If he isn't going to beat this fellow, he isn't going to beat Tyson, that's for sure.
He has to go out and do a job." The broader boxing calendar for 2026 is already filling up with major match‑ups, and fans are eager for a clear schedule. Streaming services such as NOW are offering contract‑free access to live boxing, while podcasts like Toe2Toe keep enthusiasts updated weekly with analysis and highlights. Warren also touched on the mental side of the sport, saying, "This fight is here for him to win and get all the cobwebs out and some of the mental problems that he may have, or not, from that terrible tragedy of losing his two friends in that car crash. So that's what it's all about." He believes a successful warm‑up for Joshua will clear the path for a super‑fight with Fury, which would likely be booked for October or November.
Regarding timing, Warren explained, "AJ's fighting on the 25th of July, he'll want to go back into camp, that's the sort of timescale. Tyson would prefer to do it as soon as possible.
He'd prefer to do it in August/September." The exact venue remains undecided, though Wembley Stadium in London emerges as a logical choice for an event of this magnitude. "We'd all like it in the UK but we'll see," Warren added. Warren dismissed concerns about potential disputes over promotional hierarchy, such as who would be the A‑side or B‑side, or the order of ring‑walks. "That's got to be all decided but I've got to be honest, for me, it wouldn't bother me in the slightest because, for me, there's only one winner," he said, emphasizing his support for Fury.
Financial considerations also play a huge role. Both fighters are expected to command massive purses, with the event's revenue driven by ticket sales, pay‑per‑view buys, and the backing of Saudi investors.
Warren noted, "The money they're getting paid, they can skip in, do cartwheels into the ring. They're receiving huge purses for this.
It's all about box office and demand and thanks to the interest of the Saudis and them financing it." An unexpected twist could be a request from Saudi financier Turki Alalshikh for pop star Dua Lipa to perform at the event. While such a stipulation might seem unusual for a boxing match, Warren is confident it won't derail the fight.
"I doubt it very much," he said. In closing, Warren expressed optimism that the fight will proceed without major hiccups. "Hopefully there's going to be no hiccups and we'll get it.
It's the big fight. It's finally on and it'll capture everybody's imagination," he declared. The upcoming fight between Chris Billam‑Smith and Ryan Rozicki, scheduled to air live on Sky Sports on Saturday, June 6, serves as a reminder of the sport's bustling schedule as fans await the definitive heavyweight clash between Fury and Joshua.