Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have finally agreed to terms for a heavyweight bout expected in November. After over a decade of failed talks and legal roadblocks, promoter Eddie Hearn and Turki Alalshikh confirmed the deal, which will stream globally on Netflix.
For years, this was the fight for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship. Now, it is a matchup between two aging stars with six combined losses and no major belts currently on the line.
Critics argue that by the time they step into the ring in late 2026, the result will be more about who has less left in the tank than who is the best in the world.
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua Held World Titles at the Same Time but Never Fought
The Golden Era window for this fight was 2018 to 2021. Back then, Joshua and Fury held all four major heavyweight titles between them. Both were undefeated, in their physical primes, and could sell out Wembley Stadium on their names alone.
But unfortunately, it never happened. In 2021, a legal ruling forced Fury into a third fight with Deontay Wilder. While that played out, Joshua had to face Oleksandr Usyk. Usyk ended up beating Joshua twice, then did the same to Fury, becoming the first undisputed champion in decades.
Now it’s 2026 and they are finally signed to face each other, but the stakes are different. Both men are in their late 30s with several losses and plenty of wear and tear.
✅ DONE DEAL ✅
🥊 Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua
📆 Q4, 2026
📺 Netflix pic.twitter.com/tgxb9VDMQB— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) April 27, 2026
Fury is coming off a win over Arslanbek Makhmudov, while Joshua is rebuilding after a knockout loss to Jake Paul and a serious car accident last December.
While the event will still be a massive draw on Netflix and likely fill Wembley, it is no longer the intense battle everyone assumed because they are arriving five years too late.
British Heavyweight Boxing Has No Clear Successor After Them
Still, this fight carries more weight than anything else in British boxing. The winner finally settles a decade-long debate over who is the best heavyweight of this generation. After beating Arslanbek Makhmudov in April, Fury told the crowd the fight was “ten years in the making.”
The urgency comes from a lack of new stars. While there is talent in the pipeline, no one has replaced Fury or Joshua. Moses Itauma is a promising prospect, but at 21, he is still unproven at the top level.
Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois are relevant and Dubois even knocked out Joshua in 2024 but neither has yet achieved the same level of mainstream fame as Joshua or Fury.
Before the main event, Joshua fights Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Riyadh. And folks can expect a decision on the November venue before the summer.
If the long-awaited fight falls through due to Joshua’s injury or a loss in July, Fabio Wardley has topped the list as Fury’s most likely plan B. The British WBO champion has already been called a good option by Fury for late 2026.
But for now, the two biggest names in British boxing are fighting. Though they are late, it is here.
