Tyson Fury has once again taken to social media to lambast Anthony Joshua, calling the two‑time heavyweight champion a "coward" and accusing him of "conning everybody" as the two camps continue to haggle over a long‑awaited all‑British clash. The exchange comes after weeks of back‑and‑forth discussions that seemed to bring the fight within reach before a disagreement over venue threw a wrench into the works.
The primary stumbling block appears to be the location of the bout. Saudi‑backed promoters, led by Sela, have been pushing for a high‑profile event on American soil, ideally in a marquee arena such as Madison Square Garden or a major Las Vegas venue. Joshua’s representatives, however, have consistently insisted that the fight should be staged in the United Kingdom, arguing that a home‑soil showdown would generate the biggest atmosphere and satisfy the British fan base that has been clamoring for a domestic heavyweight showdown for years. On Wednesday, Fury posted a lengthy Instagram story that laid out his frustration in blunt terms.
"Joshua, where are you? Still no deal done.
It's getting quite tiring," he wrote. He went on to list every possible location that had been floated – England, Ireland, Las Vegas, New York, then back to England, then back to Ireland, then back to New York – and claimed he had been willing to travel to each of them without imposing any conditions.
"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 added, his tone clearly edged with exasperation.
The British heavyweight, Joshua, is coming off a dramatic second‑round knockout of Kristian Prenga in July, a fight in which he was knocked down twice in the opening round before rallying to stop his opponent. That victory, while impressive, also reminded observers that Joshua is still vulnerable to early pressure, a point that Fury seemed eager to exploit in his verbal sparring.
Fury himself last fought in July as well, when he faced the experienced Mariusz Wach. The 46‑year‑old former champion stopped Wach in the seventh round, adding another win to his already extensive record.
In his Instagram tirade, Fury reminded Joshua of the many chances he had been given to meet him in the ring, suggesting that the British fighter had repeatedly turned them down. "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. He continued, "We're both f***ing 37, 38 years old – let's f***ing fight.
It's a boxing match and you've been banjoed 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 exchange escalated when Fury posted a short video featuring former heavyweight legend Mike Tyson, mimicking Tyson’s iconic line "Sign the contract, big boy" as a cheeky way of urging Joshua to finalize the deal.
The clip quickly went viral, adding another layer of public pressure to the already tense negotiations. Promoter Frank Warren, who represents Joshua, weighed in later that day, insisting that the ball was "100 per cent" in his fighter’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." Warren also admitted that the question of venue remained unresolved. While Fury had teased the idea of a New York showdown on his social channels, Warren said the final decision would rest with the financiers, promoters, and broadcasters who are footing the bill.
"That I don't know," he said. "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." He added that Fury seemed indifferent to the location, quoting his champion as saying, "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." This apparent flexibility on Fury’s part could tilt the negotiations in his favor, especially if the Saudi backers are able to guarantee a lucrative purse and global broadcast exposure. The broader context of the heavyweight landscape also fuels the urgency. With both fighters now in their late thirties, the window for a classic British heavyweight showdown is narrowing. Fans and analysts alike view a Fury‑Joshua bout as a potential career‑defining moment for both men, offering a chance to cement legacies and possibly set up future unification fights against other top contenders.
If the fight does materialize, it would likely be marketed as a historic clash of two of Britain’s most celebrated pugilists, drawing massive interest from both sides of the Atlantic. The financial stakes are high, with projected pay‑days in the seven‑figure range for each combatant, and the potential for a massive pay‑per‑view audience that could rival the biggest events in recent boxing history.
Until a venue is agreed upon and a contract is signed, the banter between Fury and Joshua is expected to continue, with each fighter using social media to rally their supporters and put pressure on the other side. Whether this verbal sparring will finally force a deal or simply add more heat to an already simmering situation remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that both men are eager to step into the ring, and the boxing world will be watching closely for the next development in what could become one of the sport’s most memorable heavyweight battles.