Tyson Fury confirms two-bout deal to face Anthony Joshua: ‘The biggest fight in British boxing history has been agreed’
Gypsy King acknowledged he must face Deontay Wilder for a third time before taking on fellow Brit AJ
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Tyson Fury has confirmed that he has agreed a two-fight deal to face Anthony Joshua in 2021, in potentially the biggest series of contests in British boxing history.
Earlier on Wednesday, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said both fighters had agreed terms, though specific dates and venues were still to be decided.
Fury later posted a video to Twitter, saying: “I’m just after getting off the phone with Daniel Kinahan. He’s just informed me that the biggest fight in British boxing history has just been agreed. Get in there my boy!
“Big shoutout Dan, he got this done – literally over the line. Two-fight deal, Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua next year.
“One problem: I’ve just got to smash Deontay Wilder‘s face right in, in the next fight, and then we go into the Joshua fight next year.”
Fury fought to a split decision draw against Wilder in the pair’s WBC heavyweight title bout in December 2018, then stopped the American in the seventh round of a rematch in February of this year.
The result led many fans to call for a title unification bout between Fury and Joshua – who holds the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight belts. A trilogy fight between Fury and Wilder was a stipulation of the contract for their initial rematch, however.
That third fight was expected to go ahead in July before coronavirus-related disruptions to boxing took effect, and Fury acknowledged that the contest will still take place before his fights with Joshua.
“So there we are, the Gypsy King vs AJ is on for next year, but there is a hurdle in the road called the Bronze Bomber, AKA the knockout king,” he said.
“I will get onto him and knock him spark out, and then we go onto the big fight.”
Joshua last fought in December, defeating Andy Ruiz Jr in a rematch to regain his titles after dropping them to the Mexican-American in June last year.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments