BBC has reported that global superstar Dua Lipa has turned down an invitation to perform at the heavily anticipated heavyweight blockbuster between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, a fight that fans have demanded for years. The same broadcaster noted that Turki Al-Sheikh, the powerful Saudi adviser who has been instrumental in organizing major boxing events, made the outlandish claim that the entire bout depends on Lipa agreeing to perform, a demand that has been met with widespread disbelief and outrage in the boxing world. In contrast, The Sun revealed that Joshua has already signed a contract to face Fury, a tangible sign that formal steps are being taken to finalize the historic matchup despite the bizarre prerequisites.
talkSPORT reported that Tyson Fury stepped back into the ring earlier this month and secured a points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, in what was his first competitive appearance of 2024. Following that fight, Daily Express - Sport has reported that Fury has explicitly told his team to find him another warm-up opponent before he would consider stepping in with Joshua, a decision that underscores his desire to be in peak condition.
I think he will probably want to be doing something in between, let's see
On the other side, Daily Express - Sport also reports that Joshua is already booked for a tune-up fight against the unheralded Albanian Kristian Prenga, scheduled for July 25. Promoter Frank Warren told the same publication that a loss to Prenga would effectively 'kill' any hopes of a Joshua-Fury fight in 2026, highlighting the high-wire act both fighters are performing.
The outlet further disclosed that Fury himself plans to have another bout before facing Joshua, a parallel to Joshua's own preparatory fight, which only thickens the cloud of uncertainty hovering over the proposed mega-clash. Warren also confirmed that the venue has not yet been determined, with Wembley Stadium remaining the preferred choice and, in his view, the only fitting venue for such a spectacle over other potential sites. With so many variables at play, from entertainment demands to tune-up risks, the path to the long-awaited Fury-Joshua fight is anything but certain, and fans continue to wait anxiously.
AJ has got his fight. Tyson, I'm quite sure, will have a fight in between. That's what he's asking for and we'll see where we go from there.
If he loses to this guy, it kills the fight.
That's where everybody would like to see the fight. It's the national stadium – that is where it belongs. We've had some great nights there in the past and that makes a lot of sense.