Anthony Joshua has told Tyson Fury it is up to him whether they finally meet in the ring next year.
Joshua and Fury are being lined up for a long-anticipated fight as part of Riyadh Season in 2026, with a September date in London pencilled in. No deal has been finalised but there is growing confidence that a fight will take place and both camps are working towards making it happen in 2026.
But Joshua has said he will not be the one to hold up the fight, telling Reuters: “It’s up to Fury. I’ve signed to fight him a number of times. I don’t want to get my hopes up and be let down again.”
Fury and Joshua will take to the ring in separate fights in the early part of 2026 as part of Riyadh Season, with Joshua fighting in Saudi Arabia in February with Fury to follow shortly afterwards. The two former world heavyweight champions have never fought each other despite being close to a match-up in 2021 which never materialised in what would have been a fight for the undisputed heavyweight crown.
Fury is currently retired after he suffered successive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk while Joshua is looking to get back on track following his fifth-round knockout by former IBF champion Daniel Dubois in September 2024. Before that, though, Joshua will take on Jake Paul in an eight-round fight in Miami on Friday night.
Fury’s promoter Frank Warren, meanwhile, confirmed no agreement has been reached. “There’s been some talks going on, there’s nothing been signed yet, but Tyson’s indicated if it’s the right deal, he’ll definitely do it,” he told Sky Sports News.
“I think it’s going in the right direction and hopefully we’ll get some news pretty soon as to what’s going to happen. I do believe it will happen. AJ’s fighting, or whatever you want to call it, this week against Jake Paul and there’s talk of him fighting again early in 2026.
“Tyson’s been out for a while now. He may have a warm-up fight but if this fight happens – which I believe it will – it will be sometime in late summer. So that’s another seven months away, so he’ll certainly have a fight in between I think if he comes back.
“He has been in the gym full-time training very hard. He’s in great nick, he looks well and he’s said many times himself he would like to come back and fight again. And 2026 I believe, provided the deal’s right, I think you’ll see him back in the ring again.”
DEONTAY WILDER INTERVIEW: Former heavyweight champion on being ‘stabbed in the back’ by those closest to him, overcoming years of mental health struggles – and his plans to face Anthony Joshua in Africa
Deontay Wilder does not hesitate when asked what went wrong. Not against Joseph Parker. Not against Zhilei Zhang. Not in the fights that prompted so many to declare the former heavyweight champion finished.
‘It definitely was psychological for sure,’ Wilder told Clubhouse Boxing. ‘My performances were poor due to my mental state rather than my physical. My physical state was great. I felt great and I feel great now. I can still whack. Come on, we don’t need to question that. But, mentally, if that goes, so does the body. You don’t have an engine no more. It’s done.’
For more than a decade, Wilder’s engine seemed endless. From a late-starting Olympic bronze medalist to the most feared knockout artist in boxing, he captured the WBC heavyweight title in 2015 and defended it ten times, his right hand erasing entire game plans in a second. Even after two brutal losses to Tyson Fury ended his reign, the belief remained that Wilder’s power alone could carry him forward. What few saw was the damage accumulating far from the ring.
‘It’s been tough,’ he said. ‘It’s been tough going through the journey that I’ve had to go through over the years. And I’m talking about outside of the ring. Outside of the ring has been the major battle of my life. But I’m still here. I’m so happy at this moment in time in my life. I feel great. Everything is going good. I had to go through that rough patch to get here and it was definitely rough.’
By ‘rough patch,’ Wilder meant betrayal. ‘If you never felt it, it’s worse than a heartbreak,’ he said. ‘Especially when people are so close to you. You don’t see certain things when you’ve got so much going on. You’re doing good. You’re helping out everybody. And then you are stabbed in the back by those close to you.
‘After that, things were never the same anymore. I was uncomfortable. I didn’t know what to expect next week or next month. So it was like the fun is over. The party bus is coming to a stop, so let me get off at the next exit.’
‘The people that hurt you the most are the people that are closer to you,’ he added. ‘That’s the worst. That’s the hardest. That’s what hurts you the most. I learnt the hard way. People I never thought or suspected were the ones going behind my back.’
For a man who has always prided himself on mental toughness, the low point was unfamiliar. ‘I always felt like I could handle it. My mind is strong enough. I can get through it,’ he said. ‘But I had never experienced a mental space like it. It was the lowest I had ever been.’
By the time he entered training camps for Parker and Zhang, the weight was crushing. ‘I was still thinking about my problems outside the ring while I’m in camp,’ he said. ‘I spent the majority of camp trying to get my mind right. I kept telling myself it’s okay, but it wasn’t okay. I was just trying to convince myself and trick myself into thinking I would make it through the fights.
‘I had all these people relying on me to go in there, fight and perform. I couldn’t let them down so I compromised my mental health. I didn’t want to be there and I was already thinking about after the fights before they even took place.’
Critics questioned his legs, his reflexes, his age. Wilder says they were looking in the wrong place. ‘It wasn’t physical,’ he said. ‘When I got in the ring and the bell say ding it was just about survival. It was like a hypnosis thing. Everything that I put together in camp went out the f***ing window.’
Eventually, he reached a point he had never reached before: acceptance that he could not fix this alone. ‘I decided to get the help of two therapists,’ Wilder said. ‘And a sports psychologist. I had a lot of talks. A lot of things they put in perspective for me. Looking at situations, but looking at them in a different way.’
One lesson became central. ‘They talk about putting things on the shelf. They also explained I should be putting energy into things you can’t control. If you can’t control it, put it on the shelf. And when you put things on the shelf, it gets dust on it. You start to forget things. That’s been a healing mechanism for me.’
The work also forced Wilder to confront trauma long predating his boxing career. ‘When you go through childhood, PTSD, depending on the environment or situations you went through, as adults we still deal with that. And when you get in certain situations, it can hit you all over again.’
Being falsely accused, he says, is one of his deepest triggers. ‘That really hits me. I used to get accused of things I didn’t do, even as a child. Even as an adult. Don’t accuse me of something that I didn’t do. I’m a man. If I do something, I’ll do the time for the crime. But don’t put nothing on me that I didn’t do.’
Now 38, Wilder says time and perspective have reshaped him. ‘Age is a beautiful thing,’ he said. ‘You get wiser. The things that used to bother you, they don’t no more. Somebody come up acting crazy, you wasting your energy. I’m having fun. We laughing. We in good spirits.
‘There’s a lot of miserable people. Low-vibrational people. They want you to come down there with them. I’m not the one that’s gonna give you that. I love the space that I’m in. I’ve been through hell and back. And I ain’t going back there no more. I’m not letting nobody get me to that point again.’
And now, he says, the Bronze Bomber is ready to remind the world why he was one of the most feared heavyweights of his era and is adamant he can do so against Anthony Joshua.
‘I mean we still here. I’m not retired, he’s not retired. We’re still in the same business. It’s still one of the biggest fights in the world. People are still heavily invested in that fight with me and Joshua. It’s going to happen. Like I said, I am here, I’ve always been here and I’ve always wanted that fight.
‘I want to know who the best is and we are going to find out. I’ve been talking to some people over in Africa, I am not going to name them, but they know Joshua too and we’ve been discussing bringing that fight to Africa. I would love to do it. Look, that fight is definitely going to happen. We just need to wait and see where.’
He is also in talks with Oleksandr Usyk, adding another potential chapter to a storied career. But one thing is clear: Wilder believes the mental battle that nearly broke him is finally over, and he is back to his ruthless self – the one who wants to inflict that power on Anthony Joshua when the moment is right.
New footage of Anthony Joshua in training for this month’s fight against Jake Paul has become a big talking point online, with fans commenting on his lean physique.
For the first time in his career, Joshua has a strict contracted weight limit ahead of a professional bout.
The two-time heavyweight world champion, who weighed just over 252lbs in his last bout against Daniel Dubois last year, cannot weigh more than 245lbs for the eight-round contest on December 19.
It must be noted that there is no restriction on how much weight Joshua can add on after the official weigh-in.
Earlier this month, AJ responded to concerns with an update regarding his weight on social media. “They must have forgot,” he said alongside a video of himself stepping on the scales.
“I’m used to dealing with big weights & scales. 243.8lbs.”
With just over a week until fight night, a training clip of Joshua has emerged, where he can be seen practising his coordination and reflexes by punching a tennis ball attached to a cap.
Here’s how fans on social media have reacted to the video.
One said: “Nah wait Jake actually might cook him he looks so skinny,” and a second commented: “Damn he looks tiny here.”
A third wrote: “Damn he looks tiny here,” and a fourth said: “WTF he looks so skinny”
A fifth added: “Probably the slimmest i’ve seen him, he doesn’t need to be heavy v Jake Paul tbh.”
Ahead of the contest in Miami, promoter Eddie Hearn has given an insight into Joshua’s condition.
“He’s really dialled in as if he was fighting an elite heavyweight,” Hearn told talkSPORT. “The one thing he always does is take everything seriously and he is doing so for this, he’s in tremendous shape.
“The difference is in this fight is he has to make a specific weight which is a lot lighter than he would be going into this fight. But he’s on track and is in Miami with not long to go until the fight.
“I can’t believe what’s about to happen, to be honest.”
He added: “Yeah, he’s ready to go and do a job on him, and I just can’t believe we’ve signed the contract to fight him.”
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua set to finally meet in 2026 after one crucial step happens first
One of the biggest fights in boxing is reportedly set to finally take place next year.
Many believed that after years of talking about the chances of it finally happening, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua could share the ring with each other in the near future.
While both men have gone down very different paths in recent times, this dream clash appears to make a lot of sense for both of their careers right now.
Joshua is currently focused on his upcoming bout with Jake Paul on December 19, which many are unsurprisingly expecting him to come through with little issue.
Meanwhile, Fury’s retirement has always had Joshua’s name looming over it, with this being the one big matchup fans wanted that he wasn’t able to tick off.
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will fight in 2026 after both men face different opponents first
For years, fans and fellow fighters have debated who would win in a heavyweight contest between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
The Ring Magazine reported on December 12 that this speculation will finally end in 2026, with sources advising them that Fury will face Joshua in a bout that appeared to have gotten away from fans so many times.
The two heavyweight icons of their era will reportedly headline a Riyadh Season “mega-event” next year with no specific month mentioned at this time.
However, before this dream bout takes place, it has also been noted that they will each face a different opponent first, which will also be a part of next year’s Riyadh Season.
This is sure to immediately cause concern among fans who have seen big fights fall apart due to matchups that are perceived as warm-ups not going to plan in the past.
Given that Fury hasn’t fought since last December, when he was beaten by Oleksandr Usyk for a second time, it’s not surprising that he’d want to make his return before squaring off with ‘AJ’.
The long-running feud between the two men was reignited several months ago, with some comments being exchanged by Joshua and Fury which has now led to this update.
Anthony Joshua has had big fights fall through due to similar plans in the past
The big concern for fans following this update will be the fights that Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are going to have before they face one another.
Two years ago, the possibility of finally seeing ‘AJ’ take on Deontay Wilder slipped through the fingers of the fans when both men shared the same card.
While Joshua overcame Otto Wallin in the main event, Wilder was beaten by Joseph Parker in the previous fight, which significantly hurt the chances of them facing each other in the near future.
Given how close Joshua vs Fury now feels, there’s going to be a lot of pressure on both men to come through these bouts unscathed so that one of the biggest clashes of this era can finally happen.
Anthony Joshua has been warned he must be switched on to avoid an embarrassing defeat by Jake Paul.
Joshua takes on Paul next Friday in a sanctioned heavyweight contest which has sparked controversy given the disparity in ability between the ex-world champion and the YouTuber. Joshua has not fought since he was knocked out by Daniel Dubois at Wembley 15 months ago.
He sees his meeting with Paul as a tune-up for a serious return to action in Saudi Arabia in February before a showdown with long-time rival Tyson Fury next September. Social media star Paul, meanwhile, has built a career by fighting ex-MMA stars and last year took on a 58-year-old Mike Tyson.
The boxing world expects Joshua to stop Paul within two rounds, but renowned trainer Robert Garcia, who coached Joshua for a spell, warned the Brit he must be focused. “I think he should knock the s*** out of Jake Paul but f***, in boxing you never know man … It’s not like something I’m making up,” he told ES News. “People have already questioned Anthony’s head, his mind. People have questioned that, but if it’s a solid Anthony, a confident Anthony, he’s got to knock the s**t out of [Jake Paul].”
Joshua will be trained by coaches from former undisputed world champion Oleksandr Usyk’s camp after deciding to leave trainer Ben Davison. And he said: “I was invited to train with Team Usyk. He’s one of the best in the world, and it’s not all down to him. It’s also down to the team that’s around him, so I’ve linked up with them and got a great insight into someone who has achieved so much. It’s been a great experience and it’s very challenging.”
Joshua, who was twice outpointed by Usyk in 2021 and 2022, also shrugged off criticism of the contest. “I don’t address people that are against me,” he added. “People say, ‘what do you feel about negative comments?’ Why am I worried about negative comments? I just focus on the people who believe in me and support me. I have nothing to say to those people.
“You’ve got to give credit to Jake and his team, they reached out to me and it was a great opportunity for me to fight. I wanted to take 12 months out of the game, I did that and then it was time to get back to work.
“I was planning on fighting anyway and I thought, ‘why not?’ It’s great, it’s massive, it’s colossal, it’s bringing big news. We’re bringing marketability together with ability, those two worlds collide.”
Jake Paul’s Injuries go From Bad to Worse Ahead of Anthony Joshua Fight
Jake Paul continues to pick up injuries during his training camp and preparations for his upcoming heavyweight fight against the former two-time boxing world champion Anthony Joshua on the 19th of December at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. Netflix will air the event.
It is perhaps indicative of how grueling the sparring sessions he’s been taking part in, just to get ready for the punches that Joshua will be throwing his way.
Previously, Paul had been working with a lightweight called Shakur Stevenson, who is one of the most skillful fighters in the sport, when he was training for an exhibition alongside Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, who the internet sensation would have out-weighed by 60 to 70 pounds. But for Joshua, Paul brought in three heavyweights including American star Jared Anderson and AJ’s former protege Lawrence Okolie, among others.
And the impact of those sessions appears to be taking their toll.
Jake Paul’s Injuries go From Bad to Worse
It all started when Paul started sparring Okolie.
Speaking last month, Okolie told Boxing Social that he wanted to “work with Jake Paul” to get him ready for AJ. “I need to know what he sees that makes him think this is a good idea. I want him to feel what it’s like to be in there with a big, strong, world-class heavyweight before the day. I don’t want him to get hit with a jab, and it’s this whole, new sensation.”
More recent reports suggest Okolie did just that, and made Paul feel what it’s really like to share the ring with a big and strong heavyweight as the Brit apparently gave the American a black eye in training.
“I think Lawrence Okolie did that to me,” Paul said to the streamer Adin Ross, during a video in which bruising around his eye is clearly visible.
🥊 Jake Paul shows off a black eye from sparring ahead of his fight with Anthony Joshua on Dec 19 in Miami.
“I think Lawrence Okolie did that to me — he’s 6’6”, 270lbs,” Paul told Adin Ross.
Paul joined The Pat McAfee Show this week and host McAfee asked Paul about the state of his nose. Considering Paul’s response, it shows the black eye Okolie gave him wasn’t the only injury he’s suffered in this camp.
“Did you break your nose? Is this new? I’m seeing your nose,” McAfee said during the show.
“It’s getting more crooked, brother,” Paul said.
“Sparring the heavyweights, my nose has moved a couple millimeters in this camp. A guy by the name of Frank Sanchez definitely cracked it a little bit so it definitely has something in it. It’s bad. Look at that. I’m like Squidward, dog.”
It’s not all been bad news in camp, though. In an Instagram post in which he showcased his skills punching the heavy bag, Paul said: “Upset coming.” And the video shows noticeable improvements in his footwork, fluidity, and power, from when he first picked up the gloves five years ago.
Jake Paul appears to have dismissed rumours that his fight with Anthony Joshua has been cancelled after ‘The Problem Child’ shared his prediction for the December 19 bout.
On Wednesday afternoon, it was suggested that the heavyweight contest between Paul and Joshua had been “cancelled” after the YouTuber-turned-boxer suffered an injury in sparring.
The story was relayed by former WBC heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne, who opened up on what he’d “heard” amid rumours of a potential postponement.
“I’ve just heard somewhere that he was injured, that it’s not happening,” Stiverne told Gambleonline.ca.
“I don’t know. I just heard not long ago it was cancelled. I don’t know what’s going on. Lawrence Okolie gave him a black eye or something and from what I heard the fight is not happening after sparring sessions [with world ranked fighters].”
Stiverne, who holds a record of 25-6-1 and was the first fighter to go the distance with Deontay Wilder, added: “It might be a lie, or it might be true, but I don’t know. That’s what I was hearing and it wouldn’t surprise me.”
Jake Paul gives his prediction for Anthony Joshua fight
Shortly after Stiverne made the claim, a beaten-up Paul appeared to confirm that his bout against Joshua is still happening.
Speaking on Wednesday’s episode of The Pat McAfee Show, the 28-year-old gave his prediction for the fight on December 19.
“I don’t think he can knock me out because he’s not going to be able to line up his shots properly to land the hard punch,” began Paul.
“I think it’s going to be a very tough fight for multiple rounds, but then, when I figure out his pacing, his style, his speed, his footwork, he’s going to get a little bit tired trying to chase me around, and then I’m going to set up the shot.
“I’m not going to say exactly what, but I see what it is, and I think it’ll end in the fifth or sixth round.”
Paul was pictured with a black eye this week after sparring British heavyweight contender and former cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie.
The YouTube personality, who has also welcomed heavyweights Jared Anderson and Frank Sanchez into his camp ahead of fight night, spoke about some of his sparring partners on Wednesday’s podcast.
“We definitely focused a lot more on the strength workouts and lifting heavier weights,” said Paul.
“I started to eat a bit more, but I didn’t want to bulk up too much. The speed is going to be the key here, but we brought in world champion heavyweight sparring partners, guys who are 270 pounds, 250 pounds.
“Sparring them has been insane,” he said. “I still got the remnants of taking a shot.”
In the build-up to his clash with Anthony Joshua, Jake Paul sparked online pandemonium by hinting at a “major update”, leading fans to fear the controversial bout might be scrapped.
The widespread concern arose from the perceived gap in boxing ability between the pair, prompting speculation that Paul might withdraw. Yet the reality of his announcement had nothing to do with cancelling the fight, but instead related to his commercial interests.
The actual major update concerned the capture of Olympic boxer Caroline Dubois, currently a lightweight world champion, by Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) outfit. Dubois, the sister of former heavyweight Daniel Dubois, was branded the most coveted free agent in women’s boxing. Paul framed the acquisition as a tactical move to “even the odds” ahead of his encounter with Joshua.
This was an obvious nod to Joshua’s recent decision to link up with former undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk as part of a major overhaul of his training set-up.
Dubois will step into the ring for her promotional bow on the undercard of the Paul versus Joshua main event next week in Miami. She is scheduled to put her lightweight world title on the line against an opponent named Camila Panatta during the televised segment of proceedings.
The reigning champion stated that signing with MVP marks a crucial “next step” in her career. She also revealed that her primary goal is to become the undisputed face of women’s boxing worldwide.
Paul emphasised that MVP’s central vision is to create a major global brand dedicated entirely to elite female competitors in the sport. He underlined that the promotion seeks to present the “unquestionably the best athletes” in women’s boxing, rather than merely chasing championship titles.
Paul additionally pointed out that Dubois bolsters the promotion’s “elite British contingent” of boxers. MVP has already outlined plans to showcase her in a significant UK event in early 2026, designed to accelerate her rise on the international stage.
Regarding broadcast arrangements, the main heavyweight clash between Paul and Joshua will be streamed live on Netflix. The bout is set for Friday, December 19, and will be accessible to existing subscribers.
Joshua has recently overhauled his fight preparation by training with Usyk’s coaching team during a camp in Spain. Whilst Usyk’s team will oversee his corner, the former champion himself is not anticipated to be ringside for Joshua’s bout next week.
Jake Paul injury leads to immediate Anthony Joshua cancellation claim
Boxing fans are convinced Jake Paul will cancel his fight with Anthony Joshua after he was see sporting a black eye.
Paul is due to take on Joshua next Friday in Miami in a controversial heavyweight fight. Paul is expected to be brutally knocked out by the former two-time world champion who is fighting for the first time in 15 months. And the YouTuber revealed he was handed the black eye by Joshua’s fellow Brit Lawrence Okolie.
“I’m sparring a bunch of world champion heavyweights, I think Lawrence Okolie did that to me, he’s like 6ft 6in, 270lbs,” said Paul in a video on social media. Paul is likely to face a 30lb weight disadvantage when he meets Joshua in the ring, even with the imposition of a 245lb weight restriction on the Olympic champion.
And fans took to social media after seeing the video to doubt whether Paul even makes it to the ring. “Let me guess, he’s going to back out with an injury,” said one, while another added: “Bro might need to pull out.” Another fan said: “Based on those video, I don’t think that fight is happening. Looks like excuses have started” while he was backed up by yet another who added: “Fight’s going to be cancelled”.
One fan went further and said Paul had clearly been “humbled” by the incident. “Someone has definitely humbled Jake, his whole body language has changed. Whether it was that shot from Lawrence or a different one, someone has done it.” Another commentator believes Paul’s team are being reckless when he said: “Out of shape Okilie who is not on AJ’s level… Jake is going to die out there and his team are letting it happen all for money; they don’t care for Jake at all.”
Okolie had previously praised Paul’s ability following their sparring sessions. Trainer Joe Gallagher reported that the former cruiserweight world champion had said: “I messaged Lawrence, and he was quite glowing about Jake Paul, on how well he was doing with Frank Sanchez and Jared Anderson. I don’t think he’s gone as far as [backing him to beat Joshua.]”
Paul will take on Joshua over eight three-minute rounds in Miami with the rivals wearing 10oz gloves. Joshua sees the fight as the first of three over the next 12 months and plans to fight again in Saudi Arabia in February before finally settling his beef with domestic rival Tyson Fury in September.
‘AJ’ recently stepped on the scale to reveal he is already below the limit two weeks out from fight night.
Anthony Joshua loves his 245lb weight limit
Anthony Joshua is feeling in better shape than he has for years, thanks to his enforced weight limit.
Jake Paul has inadvertently made his opponent come into their fight fitter than he planned to be.
If I’m honest with you, I really do like this weight, you know,” Joshua told TMZ Sports.
“It’s actually been a blessing in disguise that this task was put upon me because I feel good.
“I look back and think, ‘What was I doing carrying that weight? Where was my mind at?’
“I’ve obviously pushed myself with my cardio, so that means I’m getting fitter. Maybe I wasn’t training hard enough, and that’s why I wasn’t losing the weight. I’m super fit, and I’ve actually lost weight in the process of getting super fit.
“It’s not even like I’ve tried to make the weight. We just upped the cardio and upped the rounds in the gym. You need to work harder, that’s all that comes down to.
“You got lazy, champ, and that’s why you’re putting on all this weight.”
Joe Rogan thinks Jake Paul has made a big mistake
Joe Rogan predicted the clause Jake Paul put in Anthony Joshua’s contract would badly backfire.
The UFC commentator always believed a weight limit would simply force ‘AJ’ to train even harder.
“Listen, kids, it ain’t gonna matter,” Rogan said about the Paul vs Joshua weight limit.
“There’s not a chance that Anthony Joshua is not going to just lose the weight beforehand.
“He’s not gonna come in drained. What he’s going to do is just do extra cardio, and that’s just gonna make him more dangerous.
