Fury wants another warm-up fight before Joshua bout

The boxing world is abuzz with anticipation for a potential showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, a fight that has been over a decade in the making. However, Fury's camp is emphasizing a cautious approach, advocating for another warm-up bout before the highly anticipated clash.

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The Gypsy King” returned to action earlier this month, outpointing Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in his first fight in 16 months.

Fury's manager, Spencer Brown, has made it clear that 'The Gypsy King' needs more ring time after a 16-month hiatus. His recent victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov was a welcome return, but Brown believes another fight, ideally in July, would better prepare Fury for the magnitude of a bout against Joshua.

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We’ve signed; we’re just waiting—we’re ready to go.

This stance comes as Joshua is reportedly considering a two-fight offer from Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh, which includes a tune-up fight in July. The proposed timeline suggests that if Fury also takes a July warm-up, the mega-fight between the two British heavyweights might be pushed to November or even December.

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The thing is, Tyson has been out of the ring for a long time. So we’d probably want another fight before the AJ fight—a proper warm-up—and then we’re ready to go.

From our perspective at The Punch, this cautious strategy is understandable. High-profile fights have a history of collapsing due to various factors, including fighters not performing optimally after long layoffs or in preliminary bouts. Ensuring both Fury and Joshua are in peak condition is paramount to delivering the spectacle fans have been waiting for. We will be closely monitoring the developments, as the boxing public eagerly awaits confirmation and the eventual clash.

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We’re just waiting for Anthony and Eddie Hearn to sign. But it would be good to have one more fight.