Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua has officially been signed as a Netflix fight for 2026, finally confirming the long-awaited British heavyweight showdown.
After more than a decade of circling each other without a fight happening, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are now officially set to meet in 2026, with the bout confirmed in the fourth quarter of the year and expected to headline a major event on Netflix, although Joshua still has a return fight before that moment arrives. Confirmation came on Monday, when Turki Alalsheikh posted on X: “To my friends in Great Britain, this is happening. It’s been signed,” bringing an end to years of stalled negotiations between two fighters who defined British heavyweight boxing on the world stage.
Fury vs Joshua has been confirmed after years of false starts
Details of the fight’s timing were reported by Mike Coppinger of Ring Magazine, who stated that the contest is expected to take place in the last quarter of 2026 as part of Ring Magazine’s Netflix offering, adding that it has been billed as “the biggest fight in British history”.
A location has not yet been finalised, with uncertainty as to whether it will be in the UK or in the Middle East, where many major battles have been staged in recent years. The fight comes after years of anticipation, as both men, two-time world champions, have been linked repeatedly since turning pro, but have never shared the ring in a competitive bout despite multiple rounds of negotiations and public invitations.
Joshua’s return with Bringa begins in Riyadh on July 25
Before any meeting with Fury, Joshua is scheduled to return to the ring on July 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he will face Christian Bringa as part of a multi-fight deal. Bringa, 35, enters the bout with a record of 20 wins, all by stoppage, and one loss, although he is still relatively unknown at elite level, making the fight a key step in Joshua’s preparation ahead of the proposed superfight.
Joshua confirmed the plan on Sky Sports, saying: “It’s no secret that I’ve spent some time strengthening and rebuilding to be ready to get back in the ring and today is the next step on that journey.
I am pleased to agree to a multi-fight deal starting July 25th in Saudi Arabia.
A plane crash in Nigeria in December halted Joshua’s momentum
Joshua has not fought since December, when he defeated Jake Paul, breaking the social media star-turned-boxer’s jaw in the sixth round of the contest. Just days after that fight, Joshua was involved in a fatal car accident in Nigeria as a passenger, with two members of his team losing their lives in the accident, an accident that forced him to step away from the sport and delay his return to training. Therefore, the next match against Bringa will be his first appearance since recovering from that period and resuming preparations to return to the ring.
Fury returns and callouts are at ringside
Fury, 37, returned to action earlier in April, defeating Arslanbek Mahmudov via unanimous decision in their return fight. Joshua was in attendance that night, and Fury used the moment to call him out right in the ring after the win, trying to get a response from his long-time rival, although Joshua opted out and allowed Fury to celebrate his return.
A rivalry built over a decade is now ready to be resolved
The two heavyweight boxers have shared a rivalry stretching back more than a decade, including sparring sessions early in their careers, but have never fought at the professional level, making the confirmation of a 2026 bout an important moment for the division. Former UFC and PFL heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, who faced both fighters last year, gave his early assessment of the bout. Speaking to The Schmo, Ngannou said: “If I had to favor someone, it would be very slight.
I’d choose Fury, because he’s very skilled. He does well with professional boxing, but he doesn’t understand [how to deal with an opponent] When he’s not a professional boxer.”
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Ngannou, who went the distance with Fury and dropped him before Joshua quickly knocked him out, added that the fight is still close on the cards, especially with both fighters now working beyond their prime years. While the agreement between Fury and Joshua is now in place, the immediate focus turns to Joshua’s return in July, with the expectation that he must pass that bout before the long-awaited fight finally gets underway later in 2026.
