Photo Credit: File photo of Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua / Punch Newspapers
Fury Declares Joshua Bout Off, Challenges Usyk To Trilogy

Heavyweight star Tyson Fury has said his highly anticipated all-British clash with Anthony Joshua will no longer happen, and has instead called out Oleksandr Usyk for a third fight.

Fury, who calls himself the “Gypsy King”, made the announcement on social media on Sunday, just days after promoters were in talks over the venue for the Joshua fight.

Both Fury and Joshua are scheduled to fight later this year, but disagreements over the location have delayed an official announcement. Joshua reportedly signed a deal insisting the fight must hold in the UK, while it remains unclear if Fury’s contract has the same clause.

According to reports, the event’s promoter and financier, Sela, along with broadcaster Netflix, are pushing for the bout to be staged in the United States for a wider American audience, with Madison Square Garden in New York proposed for November 20.

Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn have maintained that the fight should be in the UK. Hearn revealed on Friday that discussions have resumed to host it at Wembley Stadium after London Mayor Sadiq Khan urged promoters to bring the fight to London.

“A message to the promoters, we want to host it in London. Talk to us, we’re really keen to have it,” Khan told BBC Sport.

However, Fury stated at the weekend that he does not expect to face Joshua next and invited Usyk — who defeated him twice on points in 2024 — to face him again.

“This will only lead me to a fight with Oleksandr Usyk. Oleksandr, you’re his trainer and his sensei and you know he is weak minded, and that he would never fight the Gypsy King, which you have had the guts to do twice.

“You got the decisions last time, fair play to you. Good luck to you, let us do it again. Let us run it back in November. The ball is now in your court, do you want to fight me this year, 2026, or are you calling it quits? Let me know because I am now looking for a new opponent,” Fury said.

Usyk, whose team is led by Sergey Lapin and who now also coaches Joshua, gave up his three heavyweight belts in June and is reportedly close to finalizing a fight with Deontay Wilder.

Despite Fury’s statement, there has been no official confirmation from either camp about the Joshua fight being cancelled, with speculation that the November date in New York could still hold.

Source: Punch Newspapers –