Anthony Joshua versus Tyson Fury is agreed and signed, with Britain’s two heavyweight rivals to finally meet in the ring.
Turki Alalshikh took to X on Monday afternoon to detail the news about the bout, writing: ‘To my friends in Great Britain – it’s happening. It’s signed.’
The fight, which has been in the making for a decade, is set to be held in the fourth quarter of the year – meaning either October, November or December – barring any obstacles.
The main obstacle is Joshua coming out unscathed in a warm-up fight against Kristian Prenga which was confirmed shortly after Alalshikh’s post.
Joshua will face the Albanian, 35, on July 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as part of Esports World Cup.
Following the announcement of that summer’s bout, Joshua said: ‘It’s no secret I’ve taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back in to the ring and today is the next step on that journey.
Tyson Fury (left) and Anthony Joshua have signed a contract to fight, claims Turki Alalshikh
Joshua will fight Kristian Prenga in his comeback fight first on July 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
‘I’m delighted to have agreed a multi-fight deal starting with July 25 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I’m looking forward to competing and picking up where I left off.’
Prenga is 6ft 5in and has won all 21 of his professional bouts – with 20 via knockout. He last fought in February, beating American Joe Jones in Atlantic City, USA.
And Prenga is confident of making it 22 wins in three months’ time, declaring: ‘Anthony Joshua is a great fighter, but he made a terrible miscalculation in picking me as his opponent. This is the kind of fight that changes everything in my life and his. I know they have big plans ahead after this fight.
‘I know they are overlooking me. I’m happy about that. I will derail their plans and shock the world this July in Saudi Arabia.’
Fury and Joshua were engaged in a peculiar war of words earlier this month when the latter was in attendance for Fury’s unanimous points win over Arslanbek Makhmudov.
After beating Makhmudov, Fury called out Joshua at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in what became an awkward stand-off with ‘AJ’ initially refusing to engage.
‘I challenge you, Anthony Joshua, to fight me next. Do you accept?’ Fury said after more attempts to get Joshua into the ring failed.
Joshua, who appeared to film much of the fight on his phone at ringside, initially seemed reluctant to be drawn out, before replying: ‘I punched you up when we were kids and I’ll punch you up again. You aren’t going to tell me what to do, I’ve been chasing you for 10 years. I’m the boss, you work for me. I’m the landlord. You work for me.’
Fury responded: ‘You [Anthony Joshua] are next. You are getting knocked out. Believe it.’
Alalshikh’s update aligns with Netflix – who earlier this month posted on social media, claiming: ‘It’s happening. Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua. This autumn, from the UK. LIVE only on Netflix.’
Following that exchange with Fury, Joshua said he is ‘ducking no-one’ and instead is focused on repairing his life after the December car crash that killed his friends Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele. Joshua was in the car in Nigeria and both he and promoter Eddie Hearn have spoken about the psychological impact on him.
‘I’m going to be completely honest. There’s a negotiation to go through,’ Joshua eventually said in a Netflix interview after Fury’s win over Makhmudov. ‘I’ve sat at this table many times. I’m not here to chase clout. Contracts will be sent over and I’ll more than likely be in the ring with him next.
‘He’s the one that retired. I’ve been in the game for 13 years, I’ve never retired. I make the big fights, that’s what I said to him. He works for me.
‘I know what my job is, there’s just real things going on in my life. I run the game, I’m a serious fighter and I’m very strong as well. When I hit Fury I’m gonna hurt him bad.
‘I have to take a minute and do what’s best for me. I’m sorting some things out for my brothers and their families.
‘I’ve been here a million times with him before. If I’m honest with you right now, until we’re in the ring there is no fight with him. I’ve been here three or four times before with Deontay Wilder and Fury.’
After beating Arslanbek Makhmudov earlier this month, Fury called out Joshua to fight him
Joshua survived a car crash at the end of last year which claimed the lives of his friends
MORE TO FOLLOW
