Tyson Fury wasted no time after his dominant unanimous decision over Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday night. As Anthony Joshua sat ringside at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Fury grabbed the microphone during the Netflix broadcast and delivered the call that British boxing has been striving for for a decade.
“10 years in the making. Let’s fucking dance,” Fury said. “Next I want to give you the fight you’ve all been waiting for. I want you, Anthony Joshua!”
This moment had been building throughout the evening. Saudi entertainment chief Turki Alalshikh teased the huge announcement throughout the event, telling Netflix viewers: “Today we have a huge surprise. I hope we announce the biggest fight in English history.”
He had earlier set the table for X by posting that Joshua and “a few special guests” were in Tottenham for the fights. The cameras were ready. The crowd was electrifying. The setup was there.
However, organizing a fight on such a scale on site turned out to be a completely different matter.
Joshua keeps his distance
Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, declined an invitation to join the ring after the fight. Joshua, speaking on camera from the ring, confirmed the fight but made it clear he would not be pressured into committing to anyone else’s moment.
“With all due respect, tonight is your night and in due course you will sit across the ring from me,” Joshua said.
“When you’re ready, come to me and tell me your terms. I’m the boss, you work for me. I’m the owner, remember that.”
During a brief chat on Netflix, Joshua expanded on his stance.
“It’s his business. He disappears, comes back, disappears. It doesn’t matter to me. I’m the one who takes part in the huge fights. He works for me.”
He confirmed that no contract had been signed and referred to the recent personal tragedies that have hit his circle, saying that the fight would happen when “everything is OK.” The crowd booed hesitation, but Joshua remained composed and didn’t let the energy of the moment dictate his reaction.
The reality of putting up a fight
Alalshikh later admitted that the fight was ultimately not a decision solely made by him, his two promoters and two of the biggest names in heavyweight history. The enthusiasm was genuine, but the logistics of a fight of this magnitude won’t resolve themselves in a post-fight ringside interview, no matter how much anticipation the moment generates.
It was a reminder that even in an era where Alalshikh’s financial support has made previously impossible fights possible, the final decisions are still made by the fighters and their teams. Saturday provided the theater. Negotiations are taking place elsewhere.
Fighting still makes all the sense in the world
Nothing has changed in the basic dynamics. Fury vs. Joshua remains the most commercially valuable fight in British boxing. Fury, 37, proved on Saturday that he is still impressive after 16 months out of the ring, defeating a perilous boxer over 12 rounds in a way that silenced any questions about ring rust. Joshua (36) has the name recognition and commercial interest that makes this fight an event regardless of the venue or date.
Reports heading into fight week have indicated a potential date later in 2026, with Dublin, Wembley and Riyad mentioned as possible locations. Joshua’s tone on Saturday suggested the fight was a matter of when, not if, but the date would be set through negotiations rather than a live TV announcement.
The most telling exchange of the night may have been one that had nothing to do with contracts or promotional maneuvers. Joshua, responding to Fury’s challenge, proposed a line that cut through the noise completely.
“I hit you when we were kids, and I’ll hit you again. You won’t tell me what to do.”
The fight between these two has always been personal. Saturday made me feel closer than ever, even if there are no documents yet.
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