British fight fans are hopeful that 2025 will be the year that career enemies Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua finally lock horns and settle their decade-long score.
Fury and Joshua have been by far and away the heavyweight division’s top commercial commodities for some time, however a blockbuster bout between them has remarkably never been agreed.
That said, there is a feeling that a fight, which would arguably be the biggest in British boxing history, could be imminent, with both men coming off defeats and appearing to have nowhere else to go.
‘The Gypsy King’ fell short in his bid for undisputed status against Oleksandr Usyk last May, before failing to reverse the result in their December rematch, despite an improved performance.
And ‘AJ’, who suffered a crushing fifth round KO loss to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium last time out, was bullish about the prospect of fighting Fury when he spoke to media at the Ring Magazine awards this past weekend.
“It’s a fight I want to see because I am a fan of boxing.
“When I am in the gym, everyone is asking me about this fight. I ain’t got many years ahead of me. I want to leave the game with a bang and make an impact.
“Everyone is asking me the same question. It’s up to me to deliver, that’s why I’m saying it has to happen this year.
“I think we can make this fight happen.”
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn admits he has been “encouraged” by his man’s attitude towards the fight, however told Sky Sports it all hinges on Fury as he regroups from the first defeats of his professional career.
“I still think it rests on Tyson Fury.
“Until the water settles on the defeat and where he’s at mentally and what he wants to do, that’s where we’re really going to find out.
“Because when he looks at the options, what else is he going to do and who else is he going to fight?
“Everything I’ve seen on Anthony Joshua’s social media, particularly in the last hour, is very encouraging.
“He’s not one to call anyone out, but he’s clearly calling them out, and he’s calling out Tyson Fury. It’s the fight that he wants.”
