Former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has confirmed his return to the boxing ring in 2026, reigniting speculation of a long-awaited clash with Anthony Joshua.
The 37-year-old “Gypsy King,” who last fought Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024 for three of the four major belts, made the announcement on Instagram on Sunday:
“2026 is that year. Return of the mac. Been away for a while but I’m back now, 37 years old and still punching. Nothing better to do than punch men in the face and get paid for it.”
Fury, who has retired and returned multiple times—including after his April 2022 victory over Dillian Whyte—holds a professional record of 34 wins in 37 fights, with Usyk as his only defeat. He has criticized the judging in his losses, calling them controversial.
Hints of a comeback emerged during the festive season, when Fury shared training clips online, fueling speculation of a showdown with Joshua, who recently returned to action in December 2025 after a 15-month hiatus, defeating Jake Paul in Miami. Joshua issued a direct challenge to Fury following that fight:
“If Tyson Fury is as serious as he thinks he is, and he wants to put down his Twitter fingers and put on some gloves, step in the ring with me next if you’re a real bad boy. Don’t do all that talking: ‘AJ this, AJ that.’ Let’s see you in the ring and talk with your fists.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed discussions about Joshua’s next fight are ongoing and noted that a Fury matchup could happen immediately:
“We can do that straight away. No interim fights. If Tyson’s ready, AJ’s ready, we don’t have to fight in February or March,” Hearn said.
Originally, both fighters were expected to have tune-up bouts before a 2026 showdown. However, Joshua’s recent involvement in a fatal car accident in Ogun State, Nigeria, which left him with minor injuries and claimed the lives of two close friends and team members, has introduced uncertainty about his immediate availability.
If Joshua is unavailable, Fury could pursue a trilogy fight with Usyk, who holds the WBC, WBA, and IBF titles, or face WBO champion Fabio Wardley. A victory in either scenario would make Fury only the second boxer, after Muhammad Ali, to become a three-time world heavyweight champion.
