Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury Back On? Why The Boxing World is Calling Hogwash On 2026

Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are finally happening in 2026, according to The Ring Magazine, which is owned by Riyadh Season chief Turki Alalshikh. Both camps have signed off. Eddie Hearn confirmed Joshua’s team accepted Alalshikh’s offer. Frank Warren did the same with Fury’s side. The Saudi heavyweight honcho promised to make it occur, pledging a September mega-event headline slot at the Kingdom Arena or elsewhere in Riyadh.​

Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury Back On? Don’t Hold Your Breath

Here’s the thing though. The boxing world has heard this script before. Multiple times. So multiple times that when Fury himself got asked about it recently, he essentially threw his hands up and admitted defeat. Standing at a celebrity ball in December, Fury deadpanned: “I can stand up here today and tell you hand on heart, the gospel truth, that me and AJ were supposed to be fighting, a done deal, about twenty times.” Twenty. Times. He then added the kicker: “So maybe it’s never meant to happen.”

That’s not exactly the confidence you’d want from your heavyweight when signing contracts.

The mechanics of this deal actually reveal why cynicism is justified. Both fighters need to win warm-up fights first. Joshua takes on Jake Paul on December 19, streaming on Netflix. That’s an eight-round heavyweight bout on short notice, which means injury risk sits right there on the table. One knockout, one cut, one tweak, and suddenly the entire September showdown gets shelved. Fury, meanwhile, hasn’t competed since December 2024, when Oleksandr Usyk beat him decisively for the second time. He’ll need his own tune-up, likely against WBO champion Fabio Wardley in April or May. Another variable. Another chance for something to go sideways.

This structure actually mirrors Alalshikh’s playbook from previous attempts. Back in 2023, he tried arranging Joshua against Deontay Wilder with both men fighting separately on the same Saudi card first, theoretically building to a March 2023 showdown if both won. Joshua got through Otto Wallin. Wilder beat Joseph Parker. Then nothing. The fight never materialized. Boxing observers watched it happen and collectively shrugged. They’ve seen this movie. The tune-up format creates unnecessary complexity, multiplies failure points, and frankly, nobody seems convinced it actually works.

Then there’s the Fury factor. The man has built a reputation on retirement announcements that double back within months. He announced he was done after the second Wilder loss in 2021. He came back. He called it quits after Usyk beat him in May 2024, then again in December 2024. Most recently, in October, he told the Furiosity channel that no money on earth would drag him back into the ring. A month later he’s posting Instagram photos of himself on a throne with captions about returning.

Fury’s manager Spencer Brown added fuel to that fire in November, saying his fighter had declined multiple comeback offers and that Fury was “enigmatic” about his future. That’s the polite way of saying you’ve got no idea what he’ll do tomorrow.

Both Joshua and Fury are also operating outside championship contention now. Neither man holds a belt. Joshua dropped a devastating knockout to Daniel Dubois at Wembley in September 2024. Fury lost twice to Usyk. The fight would be significant but it’s not for a world title. That matters for motivation and cultural positioning. It’s a final payday for two aging fighters past their peaks rather than a crown-defining collision. Fans recognize this distinction.

Joshua himself seemed cagey about the whole setup. When Hearn pushed the narrative in November, Joshua jumped at the opportunity to face Paul instead, taking a short-notice Netflix bout that Hearn himself had claimed wasn’t even agreed. Why? The money. A viral-level crossover fight with a YouTuber generates more buzz and social media conversation than a tune-up fight against someone most people expect Joshua to beat comfortably.

So yes, Joshua and Fury signing off on 2026 plans through Alalshikh’s office happened. Contracts probably do exist somewhere. But this industry learned decades ago that signed contracts and handshake agreements mean nothing until both fighters are in the ring with gloves laced. The tune-up structure creates unnecessary risks. Fury’s retirement credibility is shot.

Boxing watchers aren’t being pessimistic by raising eyebrows. They’re being realistic based on documented history.