Fury’s Retirement Casts Doubt, But Joshua Fight Still Possible

Tyson Fury may have declared his retirement from boxing, yet there remains strong optimism that he could still face Anthony Joshua in the ring.

‘The Gypsy King’ announced his decision to step away from the sport in a short social media update at the beginning of January. His retirement statement followed back-to-back defeats against Oleksandr Usyk.

Their first encounter in May was a battle for the undisputed heavyweight title, with Usyk edging out a close points victory. The rematch saw Fury challenge for three of the four major belts, but once again, the Ukrainian emerged victorious, handing the British fighter his second career loss.

For years, fans have anticipated a blockbuster showdown between Fury and Joshua. With Joshua also coming off a loss to Daniel Dubois in September, this seems like the perfect moment for the long-awaited clash, as both fighters now have limited alternative options to cement their legacies.

Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, promoter Eddie Hearn laid out the conditions that must be met for the fight to materialize. Since Joshua, who has also suffered two defeats to Usyk, is determined to continue his career, Fury must make a decision soon.

“If Tyson Fury is serious about facing ‘AJ,’ he must officially come out of retirement in the next couple of weeks,” Hearn explained. “Joshua is planning to fight twice this year—once in the summer, likely in June, and then again towards the end of the year. If Fury delays his return, this highly anticipated fight won’t be happening next.”