Tyson Fury has once again taken to social media to lambaste Anthony Joshua, calling the former two‑time heavyweight champion a "coward" and accusing him of "conning everyone" as the two fighters continue to haggle over a long‑awaited all‑British clash. The dispute centres on the venue, with Saudi‑backed promoters from Sela pushing for a U.S.
location while Joshua’s camp insists the bout should be staged on British soil. In recent weeks the two camps seemed on the brink of sealing a deal that would finally deliver the fight fans have been yearning for. However, the disagreement over the fight’s setting has stalled progress, prompting Fury to vent his frustration publicly on Instagram on Wednesday.
In a series of posts, the British champion wrote, "Joshua, where are you? Still no deal done. It's getting quite tiring. I've been down to fight in every location that's been mentioned – England, Ireland, Vegas, New York, back to England, back to Ireland, back to New York.
I've said yep, yep, yep every single time with zero stipulations." He went on to accuse Joshua of shunning the showdown, saying, "The facts are that I feel like you're being a coward. I feel like you don't want the fight and you're just conning everybody.
I feel like you've been doing that for years." Fury’s comments reflect a growing impatience; he has already faced a series of opponents in a variety of venues over the past year, and the prospect of another high‑profile encounter with Joshua appears to be the only thing keeping his competitive fire alight. Joshua, for his part, entered the conversation with a second‑round knockout of Kristian Prenga in July, a fight in which he was knocked down twice in the opening round before rallying to finish his opponent. The victory, while impressive, also reminded observers that both men are now in their late thirties – Fury is 46, Joshua 38 – and that age is a factor that cannot be ignored when planning a bout of this magnitude. Fury’s most recent Instagram video featured him mimicking Mike Tyson’s iconic line, "Sign the contract, big boy," a clear challenge to Joshua to finalize the paperwork.
The former champion’s message was unmistakable: he wants the fight to happen, and he wants it to happen now. "You've had many opportunities to fight me, but deep down you've never really wanted it, so let's see if you're going to man up for a final time," Fury wrote. "We're both f***ing 37, 38 years old – let's f***ing fight. It's a boxing match and you've been banned before plenty of times.
You've been knocked out a few times. So what, what's the worst that can happen? I'm going to f***ing chin you, 100 per cent, but it's nothing that hasn't been done before!" The tension between the two camps has also drawn in promoter Frank Warren, who insisted on Wednesday that the ball is "100 per cent" in Joshua’s court. "Tyson has signed up for the fight and agreed to the fight," Warren said.
"He's all good to go, just waiting for AJ. I can't speak for him, because he's with Matchroom.
He [Fury] has signed." While Warren confirmed Fury’s readiness, he admitted uncertainty about the venue, noting that Fury had teased Madison Square Garden on social media earlier in the week. "That I don't know," Warren added. "That's going to be up to the people who are putting up the money and the promoters and the TV company putting up the money. Tyson just wants to get on.
He said 'I don't care where I'll fight, whether it's Wembley, New York, Isle of Wight, Isle of Man – I'll fight him anywhere'. He doesn't care." The saga highlights a broader trend in modern heavyweight boxing, where lucrative broadcasting deals and international promoters often dictate the logistics of marquee match‑ups. Saudi interests have been keen to host high‑profile fights in their own venues, but the British public and media have been vocal about wanting a home‑grown showdown between the two most popular UK heavyweights of the era.
If the fight does eventually materialize, it will be a historic encounter: the first all‑British heavyweight bout in decades, and a clash between two fighters who have both claimed world titles and amassed massive fan bases. It would also serve as a potential swan song for both men, who have already hinted that retirement may be on the horizon after they achieve one final, career‑defining victory. In the meantime, fans are left watching the social media sparring, the press conferences, and the occasional teaser video, all while hoping that the inevitable showdown will finally be confirmed. Whether the bout ends up in Wembley, Madison Square Garden, or another iconic arena, the narrative is clear – both Fury and Joshua are eager to prove that they still have the heart and the skill to compete at the highest level, and both are willing to travel wherever the money and the promoters decide.
The next few weeks will likely determine whether the long‑awaited British heavyweight clash becomes a reality or remains a tantalizing promise for boxing enthusiasts worldwide.