Anthony Joshua will aim to return to the ring in July before going on to face Tyson Fury later in 2026, promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed.
November is now the intended timeframe for Joshua vs. Fury.
Fury issued a public call out to Joshua following his win over Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday, which Joshua refused to accept.
While Fury said he has signed for the fight, and insisted Joshua should not delay in facing him, Hearn has confirmed negotiations on their side are underway with Saudi Arabia boxing power broker Turki Alalshikh with a two fight deal — a bout in the summer and then Fury — on the table.
Hearn expects a deal to finally be reached, but said nothing has been agreed.
“My instructions from AJ is to make the fight,” Hearn told reporters on Tuesday.
“You receive a contract, it’s natural to go back with a lot of stuff. Nothing major, a little bit about who he fights in July, when he fights, where the fight’s going to be. Still things to negotiate but I wouldn’t say ‘sticking points.’
Hearn said fans can expect to see Joshua face someone of a “similar level” to Makhmudov mid-year before going on to face Fury.
Joshua’s preference is for a run out before facing Fury due to inactivity – with just two fights in 18 months — and his involvement in a car crash in December. While Joshua sustained only minor injuries and is expected to be cleared to return to full training in the next two weeks, two of his close friends were killed in the crash.
On Saturday, Joshua said he will fight Fury, but refused to commit to anything until contracts were signed.
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“I’m going to be completely honest, there’s a negotiation that you go through. I’ve sat at this table with him many times,” Joshua said on Netflix.
“I was just in a serious incident maybe four months ago. So, I need to really check out what’s going on with my return to the ring. But I’m here. I’m keeping my eye in the game. There’s real stuff happening in my life. I’m not ducking no one.”
Wembley Stadium in London and Dublin’s Croke Park have been floated as potential locations for the Fury fight.
However, Hearn all but ruled out the Irish venue given November is the new target date for the bout and an outdoor arena would be unsuitable in Dublin at that time of year. Both Joshua and Fury are former two-time heavyweight champions but have never fought despite years of back-and-forth between the two. They came close to a 2021 bout which ultimately fell through — a matchup that would have been for the undisputed title.
