The highly anticipated all-British heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua appears to be on the cusp of confirmation for late 2026 at Wembley Stadium, yet a series of unusual circumstances surrounding the build-up are raising eyebrows among boxing enthusiasts. Despite the prospect of the mega-fight finally materialising, a proposed 2am GMT start time to accommodate American viewership and Fury's decision to not broadcast his upcoming fight are adding layers of complexity to an already protracted saga.
This week serves as a crucial hurdle for both former world champions. Tyson Fury, 37, is set to face Mariusz Wach, 46, in Thailand on Friday morning UK time. The bout, which is for a special humanitarian WBC belt, will notably not be live-streamed or broadcast. Instead, Fury has stated it will feature in the third season of his Netflix show, 'At Home With The Furys', with no release date yet confirmed, meaning fans might not see the fight until after a potential Joshua clash. This unconventional approach has led to speculation about how fans will be able to follow the action, with some suggesting only social media clips or photos might be available.
Approximately 36 hours after Fury's fight, Anthony Joshua, 36, will step into the ring against Kristian Prenga, 35, at the Jeddah Superdome in Saudi Arabia. This fight holds particular significance for Joshua, not only as a mandatory win before facing Fury but also as his first competitive outing since being involved in a fatal car crash in December, which tragically killed two of his teammates. Joshua, whose last fight was a sixth-round stoppage of YouTuber Jake Paul, is looking to use this tune-up bout to prepare for the 'Gypsy King'.
The records of the fighters involved in these warm-up bouts highlight the experience disparity. Fury, with a professional record of 35 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw (24 KOs), faces Wach (39-13, 20 KOs). Joshua, holding a record of 29 wins, 4 losses (26 KOs), takes on Prenga (20-1, 20 KOs). While some observers felt Fury's points win over Arslanbek Makhmudov in April would have sufficed as preparation for Joshua, Fury's insistence on another fight has led to the Wach encounter, further extending the wait for the main event.
The potential 2am start time for the Fury vs Joshua fight at Wembley, suggested by Saudi matchmaker Turki Alalshikh, underscores the commercial pressures influencing top-tier boxing. While aiming to maximise viewership in the lucrative American market, such a late start would undoubtedly inconvenience British fans attending the event and those watching from home. This ongoing misalignment between the two camps and the intricate negotiations have been a consistent feature throughout the near-decade-long pursuit of this highly anticipated British super-fight.