Tyson Fury has declared his long-anticipated bout with Anthony Joshua is cancelled, pointing to a contractual dispute over venue as the reason the November fight has collapsed. Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn is pursuing legal action after alleging that their contract prohibited Zuffa Boxing from involvement in the event, while efforts to move the fight to Madison Square Garden were rejected by the Joshua camp. Fury has now publicly called out Oleksandr Usyk for a trilogy fight, stating he wants a rematch in November.
Tyson Fury has declared that his highly anticipated heavyweight clash with Anthony Joshua is dead, citing a contractual breakdown over venue selection as the fight falls apart ahead of its scheduled November date.
Fury made the announcement publicly, placing blame on a dispute surrounding Zuffa Boxing's involvement in the event. According to Fury, their contract explicitly barred Zuffa Boxing from participating in the promotion, a clause that Joshua's team, led by promoter Eddie Hearn, is now pursuing through legal channels. An attempt to salvage the fight by relocating it to Madison Square Garden was reportedly rejected by the Joshua camp, and with no resolution in sight, Fury says the bout is finished.
Joshua, 36, fights out of the United Kingdom and stands six feet six inches tall with an 82-inch reach, making him one of the most physically imposing figures in the heavyweight division. He trains with Boxing Works and Team GB and competes from an orthodox stance.
With the Joshua fight apparently shelved, Fury has wasted little time identifying his next target. He has called out unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk for a third meeting between the two men, stating he wants that bout slotted in for November. Usyk, 39, carries a perfect 24-0-0 record and represents Ukraine under the Ready To Fight banner. The southpaw stands six feet three inches with a 78-inch reach and has already defeated Fury twice in their previous encounters.
Why it matters
- The collapse of Fury vs. Joshua removes one of boxing's most commercially anticipated heavyweight matchups from the calendar.
- Fury's immediate pivot to Usyk suggests he is eager to reclaim relevance in the heavyweight title picture.
- A third Fury-Usyk fight would be a trilogy with major championship stakes, given Usyk's current undefeated standing.
- Legal action from Hearn could complicate Fury's near-term scheduling and contractual freedom.
