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Fury Next Opponent Drops This Week — Warren Confirms August Tune-Up Before Joshua November
HEAVYWEIGHT

Fury Next Opponent Drops This Week — Warren Confirms August Tune-Up Before Joshua November

HEAVYWEIGHT

Fury Next Opponent Drops This Week — Warren Confirms August Tune-Up Before Joshua November

Frank Warren went on the record over the weekend — Tyson Fury's August opponent gets named this week. The Wembley showdown with Anthony Joshua in November is locked. Fury wants one more night before the biggest fight in British boxing history.

  • Frank Warren confirmed on Sunday that Tyson Fury's August tune-up opponent will be announced this week — name pencilled in, contracts in the post.
  • Andy Ruiz Jr and Jarrell Miller have been ruled out — Warren says it's a name on the WBC top 15 but not a mandatory headache.
  • The Anthony Joshua fight is locked for Wembley in November on Netflix — this August date is the last warm-up before the biggest night British boxing has ever staged.
May 26, 2026 By Luke Parker • Boxing Lookout

Warren — Announcement This Week

Right then — Tyson Fury's next opponent gets a name this week. Frank Warren confirmed it on Sunday in a phone-in with reporters that's already been picked up by every outlet in the country. The Queensberry promoter has been sitting on this for a fortnight while the legal end gets tidied and the venue locks in. The fight lands in August — bank holiday weekend — and the announcement, in Warren's words, is a matter of days, not weeks. Good. The wait has been getting on everyone's nerves.

Who It Isn't — Ruiz Out, Miller Out

Warren explicitly ruled out two names in the same conversation. Jarrell Miller is out — Big Baby just won the WBA eliminator against Lenier Pero last month and he's headed for Wilder, not Fury. Andy Ruiz is out too — too big a name for what's supposed to be a tune-up, and Ruiz has his own commitments stateside. That leaves a WBC top-15 heavyweight who isn't going to derail the November Joshua plan. Translation — somebody Fury beats and goes home with no scares.

The Joshua Fight Is Locked

Let's not beat around the bush. The reason this August fight exists is because Fury needs ring time before walking out at Wembley in November against Anthony Joshua in the biggest British boxing event ever staged. The deal is signed. Turki Alalshikh confirmed it on X weeks ago — It's happening. It's signed. Netflix has the broadcast. Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren are doing the joint promote that nobody thought they'd ever do. The whole house of cards relies on Fury getting through August clean. So the opponent will be a name that sells a few tickets but doesn't put a hand on the champion.

Who I Think It Is

If you forced me to pick — and I will — the name that fits the criteria is a top-15 European or American heavyweight with a few KOs on the reel and zero realistic chance of upsetting the apple cart. Arslanbek Makhmudov already had his shot at the Tottenham Stadium night in April and got dominated. So that's gone. My guess — Kabayel or a comeback name on the Frank Warren books getting plugged into the slot. Either way it's a tune-up. Fury wants the rounds and the cheque, and he gets both.

Prediction Watch

Fury by stoppage inside seven, then we get the proper build-up to the Wembley fight that defines this era of British heavyweight boxing. November can't come quick enough. If you know, you know.

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