Tyson Fury should have warm-up bout before a November mega-fight with Anthony Joshua, says promoter Frank Warren
Promoter Frank Warren expects the huge Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua fight to take place in November; Warren says Fury should have another warm-up bout of his own before fighting AJ but rules out that taking place on the same card as Joshua's comeback fight in July
Thursday 7 May 2026 15:46, UK
Tyson Fury should take a warm-up bout ahead of a November showdown with Anthony Joshua, says Frank Warren.
British rivals Joshua and Fury are finally meeting in a long-awaited, much-anticipated all-British heavyweight clash.
Joshua has set a tune-up contest against Albania's Kristian Prenga for July 25 in Riyadh and Fury should have another warm-up bout himself, but it won't be on the same bill.
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"That's not happening," Warren, Fury's promoter, told Sky Sports News.
After announcing a retirement at the start of last year, Fury came back to beat Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April.
After that victory, his first in the UK since 2022, he called for an immediate contest with Joshua.
But after recovering from being in a serious car accident, in which two of his close friends died, Joshua needs a lower-level comeback fight first.
Fury too wants to keep active in the run-up to his fight with Joshua, which is due to take place later on in 2026.
"He wants another fight, he doesn't want to be waiting, otherwise he'll be out the ring for nearly eight months again and he doesn't want that," Warren said.
"He wants to keep busy and we will see what happens in the next few weeks.
"I think the [Joshua] fight will take place in November and hopefully it will be in the UK."
