Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury must happen this year, says George Groves: ‘I wouldn’t bother with any other fights’

George Groves is himself no stranger to being in a domestic rivalry, as he pleads with Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury to clash.

The British legend once fought Carl Froch in an iconic duology which ended in back-to-back defeats for ‘Saint George’. But this is why the former super middleweight champion has urged both parties to make a deal.

Rumours have circulated of Anthony Joshua mounting a return with a two-fight deal which could see him face Jared Anderson.

And with Tyson Fury reportedly training in the gym, despite his retirement, the conversation about a potential bout has returned.

George Groves wants Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury this year

While AJ is scheduled for a comeback against a different opponent, the 37-year-old believes there is no other fight to make.

Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “If I was either guy, I’d just fight each other and that’s it. I wouldn’t bother with any other fights.

“I’m sure the money’s great and that but who’s going to be paying through the nose for either guy to not fight each other?

“Just save it now, fight each other with no more mileage on the clock, no more risks.”

Groves believes there is a “number” which would make it “worthwhile” for both men that they are holding out for.

Now Turki Alalsheikh is involved in the sport, money is not seen as an obstacle to super fights.

As soon as the money is agreed, the Hammersmith fighter thinks it should happen as soon as possible.

He said: “That fight will be nailed on. He’s had surgery, Joshua, and Fury’s out running. I’m pretty sure they’ll box in September, October, rematch next year.”

Other all British heavyweight contests

This contest would likely be one of the biggest British heavyweight fights of the last two decades if sealed.

Wembley would be the only location but it would bring back sore memories for the Watford boxer.

Last September he took on fellow Brit Daniel Dubois but was devastatingly knocked out in the fifth round.

Although he has successfully beaten a fellow compatriot with a seventh-round stoppage of Dillian Whyte in their London derby.

Morecambe’s own is also no stranger to a domestic dust-up.

A night in one of boxing’s greatest venues Wembley Stadium saw the then-WBC champion floor Whyte with an uppercut in the sixth round to retain his crown.

He also holds three wins over Derek Chisora with the most recent being a tenth-round stoppage at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

However, these pale in comparison to Lennox Lewis’s seventh-round TKO of Frank Bruno at the National Stadium.

Their 1993 clash surrounded an era of a UK boom period in the sport and their bout should be a blueprint for this era’s heavyweight spectacle.

George Groves believes Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are destined to fight in October – with a rematch following next year. The Battle of Britain is yet to commence with Fury having retired in January – for the fourth time in his career.

And the unpredictable Gypsy King has so far stuck to his word – but Groves theorises that he is just waiting for the right offer to come in.

He told Sky Sports: “There must be a number that makes it worthwhile for both guys.

“Maybe they’re just waiting for that number. You don’t need to announce that fight now if it’s not happening till October.

“That fight will be nailed on. He’s had surgery, Joshua, and Fury’s out running. I’m pretty sure they’ll box in September, October, rematch next year.”

Joshua, 35, recently had surgery on his elbow and is yet to fight since being knocked out by Daniel Dubois, 27, in September.

Fury, 36, meanwhile announced his retirement one month after rematch defeat to Oleksandr Usyk, 38.

AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn revealed a return fight is targeted before focusing on a potential two-bout deal with Fury in 2026.

But former super-middleweight champion Groves said: “If I was either guy, I’d just fight each other and that’s it. I wouldn’t bother with any other fights.

Turki Alalshikh still wants Tyson Fury to box Anthony Joshua this year, but the Saudi adviser is trying not to push the “Gypsy King”, it seems.

In January, Fury announced he was retiring from boxing, after numerous reversed retirements in recent years. The claim came one month after his second loss to Oleksandr Usyk, who outpointed the Briton in May and December.

On Saturday, Joshua sat close to Alalshikh at the latest Riyadh fight night, while Fury was nowhere to be seen. Alalshikh later stressed that he still wants to see an all-British clash between the heavyweights, and that he is in contact with Fury – but not about the fight.

“I want Tyson [next for Joshua],” Alalshikh told the The Stomping Ground. “I spoke with him, but I don’t talk about boxing. I just check about his health and his family.

“I think maybe he’ll return. Yes ,[I think he will return], I hope so.”

On Saturday, Joseph Parker knocked out Martin Bakole in two rounds, after the latter replaced IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois on two days’ notice.

Dubois, who knocked out Joshua in September to retain the belt, withdrew from his defence against Parker due to illness. Joshua said on Saturday that he wanted to step in but could not, owing to injuries.

“He’s a fighter, that’s what he’s supposed to do,” Joshua said of Bakole. “I wanted to step in, I got my injuries.

“I get Martin Bakole’s mentality. If you got the belief and that power that Bakole has, that’s all you need. He wouldn’t have taken this fight if he’s not ready. I think he believes in himself more than his fitness. I just think he believes in himself.”

Joshua already holds a win over Parker, having beaten the New Zealander on points in 2018 to win the WBO heavyweight title.

The former two-time heavyweight champion has hinted at a return to the ring despite calling it quits after back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk

Anthony Joshua teams up with Prep Kitchen in two-time world champion’s latest partnership – as speculation continues over Tyson Fury showdown

• Joshua has been announced an ambassador for meal service Prep Kitchen
• The company becomes the latest partner of the British heavyweight boxer 

Anthony Joshua has been announced as an ambassador for the home meal delivery service Prep Kitchen.

The partnership comes with Joshua currently out of the ring following his loss to Daniel Dubois last September, with the two-time world champion recently revealing he needed to undergo a minor elbow surgery.

Joshua remains tipped to have a battle of Britain showdown with Tyson Fury in the near future, with the Gypsy King having dropped several hints that he could U-turn on his latest retirement.

The British star has underlined his commitment to health and fitness by teaming up with Prep Kitchen, with the company highlighting their aims to deliver nutritious, gourmet-level meals made by Michelin-trained chefs.

‘Being able to achieve excellence relies so heavily upon the foods we fuel our body with,’ Joshua said.

‘Yet, it can be difficult to maintain a level of discipline when immersed in an intense training schedule.

‘That’s why partnering with Prep Kitchen affords me the peace of mind that I am receiving protein packed meals that keep me fuelled during training without compromising on the quality.

‘Simply put – I can prep less, and train more.’

As part of the collaboration, Joshua will reportedly work with Prep Kitchen’s head of food, Paul Mason, to creative an exclusive range of meals.

The meals will be inspired by Nigerian culture in honour of Joshua’s heritage and will feature in their weekly menu.

The range will include West African Style Red Pepper and Peanut Chicken, Suya Beef with Jollof Rice, and a Nigerian Fish Curry, with the first meals set to be available from June 22.

Prep Kitchen have welcomed the partnership with Joshua, stating he is known for his discipline, drive, and dedication to peak performance.

The company claims the addition of Joshua as partner marks a ‘significant milestone’ for Prep Kitchen.

‘At Prep Kitchen, we are beyond delighted to partner with Anthony Joshua – a sporting icon we respect so highly, who shares our passion for achieving excellence and elite standards both in the ring and on the plate,’ said Will Fish, Prep Kitchen co-founder.

‘We hope that this partnership will demonstrate that there exists high-quality meals for people looking to achieve their health goals and that you can eat well, even on your busiest days.’

Joshua is the latest athlete to partner with the company after heptathlon world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Eddie Hall, formerly Britain’s strongest man.

Prep Kitchen have joined Joshua’s large stable of partners, which also include DAZN, Under Armour, Hugo Boss, Audemars Piguet, Lucozade Sport, Bulk and Jaguar Land Rover.

The two-time world champion will be awaiting his latest opponent when he returns to fitness, with his promoter Eddie Hearn recently claiming he could still fight twice this year.

Anthony Joshua still wants to face Tyson Fury, but has included Deontay Wilder on an alternative list of potential opponents.

AJ has yet to compete since being brutally stopped by Daniel Dubois last September.

But the British heavyweight is still hugely keen on a showdown with Tyson Fury, albeit his long-term rival insists he is retired from boxing.

Joshua recently revealed that he would have surgery which will delay his ring return until later in the year.

But with time ticking on his career, he is keen to enter the world title mix again as quickly as possible.

He said: “Hopefully [the Fury fight] happens.

“The industry should not be left without it, and those [who are] interested should be able to witness it.

“I think a potential fight with Martin Bakole, Agit Kabayel or Deontay Wilder would work too.

“To be completely honest with you, Joseph Parker deserves a shot at the winner [of Usyk vs Dubois 2] more than me right now.”

Bakole and Joshua have had history of a clash, with Ben Shalom claiming they reached a deal earlier in the year.

But it hasn’t yet materialised, but a bout in Africa could well be a lucrative option for a comeback.

Kabayel is ranked well in the governing bodies, and a victory over the German for Joshua would throw him right back into the mix.

Meanwhile Joshua and Wilder have still yet to face after years of rivalry.

The pair had signed an agreement, but the ‘Bronze Bomber’ lost back-to-back fights against Zhilei Zhang and Parker.

He was linked with retirement, but victory over Tyrell Herndon in his return clash on June 27 could thrust him back into the limelight.

Clearly AJ is still hopeful Fury will reverse his decision, and he indicated he could with a cryptic call-out for a trilogy with Usyk.

And in the meantime, he has suggested he will try to rebuild physically to ensure he is in prime condition.

“My body has been through the works,” he added.

“If I want to be here for the long time I just want to make sure my body is really really good before I get back into the ring.

“Sooner than later. I’m still training but I’m just kind of rebuilding.

“To be good is not enough in boxing, if you want to be a world champion you’ve got to be great.

“Throughout the last year or so, especially my last fight I was good but not great.

“To be a champion you gotta be ‘on your s***’ basically and I need to step my game up.”

Tyson Fury’s manager has refused to rule out a comeback amid talks of a potential showdown against long-time rival Anthony Joshua.

Fury shocked the boxing world back in January after announcing his retirement from the sport. His announcement came just a few weeks after losing to Oleksandr Usyk for a second time. Following the defeat to the Ukrainian, many had hoped to see Fury and Joshua go head-to-head this year.

Joshua has not fought since sufferin a knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois last September. The 35-year-old is aiming to return to competitive boxing before the end of the year, following elbow surgery. Eddie Hearn – Joshua’s promoter – recently confirmed that ‘AJ’ is in discussions with Saudi boxing supremo Turki Alalshikh over a new multiple fight deal.

In an interview with Boxing News, Spencer Brown – Fury’s manager – provided an update on his star client’s future. “First of all, I think they’ve got to sign the deal first. That’s the most important part. What they’re very good at, the Saudi Arabians, is a course. A road, and they want to know what road it is,” he said.

“And if they can get the road in the right place, then they’ll sign whatever deal you want as long as you’re happy and they’re happy with it. But they think forward. So, it’s a great move for Anthony Joshua, isn’t it? A three-fight deal. Amazing. Amazing. Tyson’s retired. Like I say, we never know though, do we?

“But he’s very busy at the moment. He’s actually in the best place I’ve ever seen him. He’s 12lbs above his fighting weight as well. He looks really well. He’s happy. He’s got his kids with him constantly. Will he fight again? He’s the Gypsy King, who knows?”

Joshua has not given up hope of finally realising a bout with Fury. The Brit is not convinced that his rival’s retirement is final and appears confident that a fight could still materialise. The British pair agreed a two-bout deal in 2020 but saw plans scuppered when it was ruled Fury had to permit Deontay Wilder a trilogy fight.

In a recent post uploaded to Snapchat, Joshua shared an image of himself watching Fury fight, saying: “One of these days I’ll be standing in the opposite corner. Ready and fully charged spiritually.” Fury himself has declared that he has nothing left to prove in the sport.

The ‘Gypsy King’ quickly dismissed rumours of a return to boxing, questioning the point of a comeback. “I hear a lot of talk about the Gypsy King returning to boxing and I ask this question: for what? What would I return for? More belts? I’ve won 22 of them,” he said. “I’ve been rumped, that’s it, fair play to them, they got their use out of me. But I’m happy, I am happy, content with what I have achieved and accomplished.

“I’ve been around the world and back again. And this is what retirement looks like for the Gypsy King, not too shabby.” He further added: “I’m in no rush at all, to come back to boxing and get my face punched in. For what? What would I return for? I ask that question. I am retired and I am staying retired. I have nothing to prove to anybody and nothing to return for.”