Anthony Joshua Amps up The Pressure on Old Rival Tyson Fury

Anthony Joshua is hopeful a mega-fight with Tyson Fury materializes in 2025, as he talked up the chances of the wildly-anticipating bout happening now that they are both free from other obligations.

Joshua spoke at a glitzy boxing event in London to usher in a new era for the historic The Ring magazine, as it re-brands and relaunches under Turki Alalshikh’s ownership. At the same red carpet event, he also sized up rising heavyweight Martin Bakole, and exchanged words with Daniel Dubois who battered him in a Knockout of the Year contender, in 2024.

Fury, meanwhile, is coming off the back of two successive losses to Fighter of the Year contender Oleksandr Usyk. An AJ vs Fury fight presents both athletes with a chance to propel themselves straight back into title contention with a win. However, whichever fighter suffers a loss may be ever nearer to retirement. The stakes are rarely higher.

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Anthony Joshua Amps up Pressure on Tyson Fury

AJ says he’s hopeful the Fury fight materializes in 2025

“It has to happen this year,” said Joshua at The Ring magazine event, regarding a super-fight with Fury.

Though the bout could be years too late in the making, it remains a financially lucrative option for both athletes together with their representatives — Eddie Hearn of Matchroom for Joshua, and Frank Warren of Queensberry for Fury. And so it is probable we see this fight sooner, rather than later, while a modicum of interest continues to exist as they rapidly approach retirement.

Watch it right here:

Joshua’s intent should be no surprise as he did not take the rematch option with Dubois, who boxes Joseph Parker on the 22nd of February. Instead, it appears he’s going all-in on Fury, and even tagged him in an Instagram post earlier on Saturday, to tell him he was looking forward to being face-to-face with him at the event.

But Fury wasn’t the only fighter Joshua ended up sizing up, as he also enjoyed a face-off with Bakole, who scored one of the year’s best examples of a breakout performance when he completely manhandled Jared Anderson, the great American hope, in a one-sided beatdown, last summer.

See Joshua and Bakole right here:

Joshua even reunited with Dubois:

Fury is yet to respond to Joshua.

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