Anthony Joshua has once again stirred hope for a long-anticipated clash with Tyson Fury, expressing his belief that the showdown could still happen—even as Fury maintains he’s done with boxing.
Fury, known to fans as “The Gypsy King,” recently reaffirmed his decision to step away from the sport. Speaking from the scenic backdrop of Lake Como in Italy, he told his Instagram followers that retirement suited him just fine. “I hear a lot of talk about ‘The Gypsy King’ returning to boxing and I ask—why?” he said. “I’ve done it all. I’ve travelled the world. I’ve got nothing left to prove. I’m retired and I’m staying retired.”
Yet, just hours after that video surfaced, Joshua shared a quiet but telling message. Posting a snap of himself watching Fury in the ring, the former unified heavyweight champion wrote, “One of these days, it will be me standing in the opposite corner, ready and fully charged spiritually.” A simple line, but enough to get fans buzzing again.
Despite Fury’s insistence that he’s left the sport behind, speculation around a comeback has been difficult to shake off. Just last month, he posted a gym clip alongside his longtime trainer SugarHill Steward. More recently, he hinted at a “business meeting” with his father, John Fury—moves that sparked whispers of a potential return. Still, Fury appears firm in his stance, seemingly more interested in lakeside mornings than lacing up gloves again.
The call for a Joshua-Fury fight has echoed through British boxing for nearly a decade. Their rivalry, fueled by public demand and tantalizing near misses, has become one of the sport’s most frustrating “what ifs.” Talks have taken place multiple times, but the dream matchup has never made it past the negotiation table.
The closest the two British heavyweights came to facing off was in 2021. At that point, both men held all four major belts between them. A deal had been struck for a massive showdown in Saudi Arabia that August. But in a twist, a US court ruled that Fury was contractually obligated to complete a trilogy bout with Deontay Wilder, forcing the Joshua fight to fall apart.
Still, Joshua hasn’t ruled anything out. Whether it’s faith, patience, or simply unfinished business, he seems to believe the right time will come. And when it does, he intends to be ready.
