Fury Wants Joshua After Makhmudov — "If It Can Be Made, Let's Get It Done"

• Tyson Fury names Anthony Joshua as his preferred next opponent after the Makhmudov fight at Tottenham on April 11
• Frank Warren confirms Fury has "indicated" he wants the Joshua fight in 2026, with both fighters expected to have tune-ups first
• Eddie Hearn says AJ targets a July comeback vs Dillian Whyte before any Fury discussion — making a December/January Fury-Joshua date realistic

The Fight That's Been a Decade in the Making

Since 2015, British boxing fans have wanted one fight above all others: Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua. Two Olympic medallists, two world champions, two of the most recognisable heavyweights of their generation. And for eleven years, through retirements, defeats, rival promotional deals, and a global pandemic, the fight has never happened. Now, with Fury coming back against Makhmudov at Tottenham on April 11 and Joshua targeting a July return, we're closer than ever. Fury told Sky Sports directly that Joshua can be his next fight after Makhmudov. Frank Warren backed it up, confirming that Fury has "indicated" he'll take the fight if the deal is right. Those are the most concrete words either camp has offered about making this fight happen. Not vague possibilities. Not "maybe next year." Fury wants it after Tottenham. Warren's ready to negotiate. The question is whether Joshua's camp will play ball — and whether AJ's personal timeline aligns with what Fury wants.

The Timing Problem

Here's the complication. Fury fights Makhmudov on April 11. If he wins — and barring a massive upset, he will — he'll want to stay active. Fury at his best is Fury who fights regularly. A long layoff after Makhmudov defeats the purpose of coming back. Joshua, meanwhile, isn't expected back until July at the earliest. Hearn has been clear: AJ needs a tune-up fight first. Dillian Whyte is the frontrunner for that comeback bout. Assuming Joshua fights in July and wins, the earliest realistic date for Fury-Joshua is December 2026 or January 2027. That's an eight-month gap for Fury between Makhmudov and Joshua. Too long to sit idle, which means Fury might need a second fight in between — perhaps in the summer — to stay sharp. That adds another layer of negotiation, another set of risk calculations, and another opportunity for the fight to fall apart. But there's another scenario: Fury and his team push for a faster timeline. If Joshua's comeback gets moved up to June, and the tune-up goes well, a September or October date becomes possible. Aggressive, but not impossible if both camps genuinely want it.

Warren vs Hearn — Can They Work Together?

The promotional dynamics remain the biggest obstacle. Fury is with Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions and fights on Netflix. Joshua is with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom and fights on DAZN. Those two promoters have been rivals for years, and their platforms are competitors. But money solves most problems in boxing, and Fury-Joshua is a nine-figure event. Wembley Stadium, 90,000 fans, a global PPV, and enough revenue to satisfy both camps. The promotional split, the broadcast rights, the venue — these are complicated negotiations, but they're solvable when the money is this big. Warren and Hearn have shown they can work together when the prize is large enough. The Fury-Joshua negotiation saga of 2020-2021 collapsed over the Wilder arbitration, not over promoter disputes. This time, there's no contractual obstacle. It's purely about willingness, timing, and money.

What Fury-Joshua Means in 2026

This isn't the same fight it would have been in 2021. Both men are older, both have lost fights they weren't expected to lose, and both have questions to answer. Fury's coming off a long layoff. Joshua's coming off a loss to Jake Paul and personal tragedy. Neither man walks into Fury-Joshua as an unbeatable force. And honestly? That makes the fight better, not worse. The vulnerability adds drama. The unpredictability adds intrigue. Fury at his best beats Joshua. Joshua at his best troubles Fury. But we don't know which version of either man turns up in late 2026. That uncertainty is what makes this fight unmissable. The commercial appeal hasn't diminished either. Fury-Joshua still sells out Wembley. Still generates massive PPV numbers. Still captures the attention of casual sports fans who wouldn't normally watch boxing. It's the fight that transcends the sport, and both men know it.

The Verdict

The words are finally there. Fury wants it. Warren's ready. The question now sits with Team Joshua. Can AJ get back in the ring, win his tune-up convincingly, and be ready for Fury by the end of the year? If the answer is yes, we could finally — after eleven years of waiting — see the biggest fight in British boxing history. December at Wembley. Fury vs Joshua. It's time.