Speculation with regards to a showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua has been rife after the Gypsy King announced his retirement from boxing in January

George Groves agrees with Ricky Hatton that Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua is a pick ’em fight.

The Gypsy King poured water on any hopes of a showdown with his long-time rival in January when he announced his retirement from boxing, but as Fury has retired five times in total now, many fight fans have understandably taken his most recent step-back with a pinch of salt.

Despite both achieving world championship status at heavyweight and being on a collision course for most of their respective careers, Fury and AJ have never managed to set a date to meet in the squared circle. And while Carl Froch last month said that it would be a “total mismatch” in Fury’s favour should a fight come to fruition in the near future, former WBA super middleweight champion Groves sees it differently.

In an exclusive interview with Express via Lottoland, boxing betting, Groves said: “Joshua’s last loss to Daniel Dubois was pretty devastating. Dubois got it right that night, he jumped on Joshua, who probably wanted to ease into the fight.

“He wasn’t able to, and he got knocked out badly, on the biggest stage, at the tail end of his career. That’s serious mileage.

“But Fury’s also had back-to-back losses, maybe three if you include the [Francis] Ngannou fight, which didn’t impress. He was lucky to get the decision.

“Then he lost twice to [Oleksandr] Usyk. That’s probably just as mentally draining as Joshua’s loss to Dubois. I think it’s a pick ’em fight. Fury’s heavier, more agile, better boxing IQ, faster hands.

“Joshua is still a great athlete, punches ridiculously hard, and has loads of big-fight experience. It comes down to who performs on the night, who wants it more, who’s got the most left. I disagree with Froch – I don’t think it’s a walkover.”

It comes as Stockport-born former light welterweight champion, Hatton, agreed that it would be a tough fight to call. Speaking to Vegas Insider, the 46-year-old said: “It’s a tough one, I think it’s 50/50, I wouldn’t say either would be the favourite.

“AJ, the way he was in the corner even before he was knocked out, was a little bit casual, and I think he took Daniel Dubois lightly. He was that convinced before the fight, going into the fight, and even during the fight.

“He’s very laid back so maybe I am giving him a bit of a disservice, but he did look like he thought he was the better man and just needed to turn up to beat Daniel…I know he is a laid-back type but I think he took his eye off the ball with Daniel and you can’t do something like that with Daniel.”

Off the back of a controversial split-decision win over Francis Ngannou in 2023, Fury suffered back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2024, not only seeing the first two defeats of his professional career, but also missing out on the chance to taste undisputed glory at heavyweight.

With the WBC, WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO and The Ring heavyweight titles on the line, Fury narrowly missed out to the undefeated Ukrainian via split-decision in May 2024, before Usyk erased any doubts whatsoever by securing a unanimous decision win over the Gypsy King in an instant rematch just four days before Christmas.

Fury then took to social media at the turn of the year to announce his retirement from the sport. However, Groves isn’t convinced that the 36-year-old is truly finished with the sport. He added: “He’s retired five times now, so we know retirement means nothing.

“There are benefits to retiring. You don’t have to live like an athlete anymore or adhere to British Boxing Board of Control requirements. He’s got no belt to be stripped, and if he comes out of retirement, as he’s done before, it might add value and excitement to the fight.

“I’m almost certain he’ll fight Anthony Joshua once Joshua recovers from injury or elbow surgery. That’ll probably be later this year, likely in Saudi Arabia. They’re both prize fighters.

“They’ve both been boxing their entire lives. They’ve earned enough and achieved plenty, but they won’t leave the table while there’s still something left for them. They’ll fight each other – and I’d like to see it.”

Barry McGuigan Makes Emphatic KO Prediction For Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua: “He’ll Catch Him”

Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, despite the latter’s retirement, could be heading towards an all-British heavyweight banger.

The two former champions have both lost twice to Oleksandr Usyk and, without a shot at a title on the horizon, are free from conflicts, mandatories and ego to make the long-awaited fight happen.

Hall of Fame fighter Barry McGuigan, writing for The Mirror, feels like most that the right time for the fight is now

“Joshua is enjoying a break after the loss to Daniel Dubois. The truth is this fight has never made more sense. Both have lost twice to Oleksandr Usyk, and Joshua is processing that devastating defeat to Dubois.”

When it comes down to a prediction, McGuigan is firmly backing ‘AJ.’

“Joshua is more physically imposing, and the last thing you lose is your punch. Fury is not a devastating hitter. He uses his skills and physical attributes to wear down opponents.

“Joshua is the more dangerous, the harder puncher with the greater explosiveness, qualities you retain right to the end. Fury could outbox him for a couple of rounds, but he would reach Fury at some point.

“Fury has the longer reach by three inches, but when the other man is 6ft 6in with a reach of 82ins, it’s hardly significant. Styles make fights and I believe Fury is just right for Joshua. I would have favoured him at their peaks and I would now.

“Fury’s style suits Joshua. There is a lot to hit. Fury has quick hands but I think AJ walks him onto a right hand. And if he did that he would be right back in the picture.”

As of writing, Fury is standing by his retirement, though fans feel that he will still make a u-turn on that position in the coming months.

Former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is sidelined after elbow surgery but has an eye on a few options when he returns to the ring this year.

Chief among those options is a highly anticipated all-British showdown with Tyson Fury. The two stars have been circling each other for years without a fight coming to fruition. After Fury’s back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship last year, it appeared that there was a window of opportunity to make the fight. However, that window was slammed shut by Fury, who abruptly announced his retirement in January. It appeared that Fury was teasing a return earlier this month, but he took to social media to state that he is happily retired.

“This is what retirement looks like for the Gypsy King,” Fury said in a post on Instagram. “Not too shabby. I’m in no rush at all to come back boxing, and get my face punched in for what? What would I return for? I asked that question. So here we are. I’m retired and I’m staying retired. I’ve got nothing to prove to anybody and nothing to return for.”

With the uncertainty surrounding Fury’s return, Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, addressed his fighter’s future once he returns.

“He’ll only fight once this year,” Hearn told ESPN. “He’ll be good to go in the middle of September, and by then, we will know for sure if Fury is going to return or not. But [Joshua’s opponent] will also depend on what happens in the [Daniel] Dubois vs. Usyk fight. I like our spot in that respect, and if none of them are available, we’re going to fight someone else.”

Hearn said that Joshua, 35, would like to avenge his stunning fifth-round knockout loss to Dubois last September if the opportunity presents itself. But if the Fury fight surfaces, that is what they will target first. Hearn isn’t sure Fury’s retirement will stick, regardless of what the former heavyweight champion says on social media.

“I just don’t think he’ll be able to leave it alone,” Hearn said. “You know why? Because he’s not declining. He’s still at the peak of his powers and it’s very difficult to walk away from a fight like Anthony Joshua when you’ve still got it. And that’s why I believe it’ll happen.”

Another option for Joshua is a showdown with former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, 39. A Joshua-Wilder fight was discussed several years ago when Joshua was the unified champion and Wilder held the WBC title. The two sides couldn’t come to financial terms for the fight and went their separate ways. The two sides were aligned for a potential fight again in 2023 but Wilder was stopped in consecutive fights against Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang.

Should Wilder defeat journeyman Tyrrell Herndon in June, a Joshua-Wilder fight could be back on the table.

“If Wilder comes back and looks sensational, we’ll probably start talking about it again,” Hearn said. “I don’t rule it out at all. It’s always going to be an exciting fight, but certainly the focus is on Fury first and possibly Dubois if he can get through Usyk.”

Fury has stated that he is happily retired and there is no reason to return

Two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has responded to Tyson Fury’s recent retirement announcement, expressing his belief that their long-anticipated fight will still take place.

Joshua, who recently confirmed his return to the ring in December 2025, has not fought since his defeat to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 2024, where he sustained injuries.

For years, Joshua and Fury have been linked to a blockbuster showdown. After Fury lost twice to Oleksandr Usyk in 2024, expectations grew that the Joshua-Fury fight could finally happen in 2025.

However, those hopes were dampened when Fury took to social media to announce his retirement, stating he is happily retired and sees no reason to return to boxing.

Amid swirling speculation and widespread rumors about a potential return to the ring, Tyson Fury decided to address the chatter head-on.

“I hear a lot of talk of the Gypsy King returning to boxing, and I ask the question: For what? More boxing belts? I’ve won 22 of them.

I’ve been beaten. That’s it, fair play to them. They’ve had their use of me, but I’m happy. I’m happy, content with what I’ve done, what I’ve achieved, what I’ve accomplished—been around the world and back again, and here we are.”

Despite Fury’s comments, Joshua remains optimistic. Sharing an image of Fury in the ring on social media, Joshua captioned it:

“One of these days it’ll be me standing in the opposite corner, ready and fully charged spiritually,” Joshua wrote.

Former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is not giving up on the long-anticipated all-British battle with Tyson Fury, despite Fury’s retirement from boxing.

Fury, 36, announced he was hanging up his gloves for the fifth time in January, just weeks after suffering his second consecutive defeat to Oleksandr Usyk. However, Joshua isn’t convinced that “The Gypsy King” is finished with the sport for good, and he remains hopeful their long-delayed clash will finally happen.

Posting a photo of himself watching a Fury bout on his private Snapchat, Joshua wrote:
“One of these days, I’ll be standing in the opposite corner. Ready and fully charged spiritually.”

The two heavyweight titans have been on a collision course for over a decade, but have never met in the ring. A blockbuster two-fight deal was agreed in 2020, with bouts planned for 2021.

JAKARTA Tyson Fury has confirmed that he will not make a comeback into the ring amid various speculations that continue about his possible fight with Anthony Joshua (AJ).

The fighter nicknamed Kingmen decided to retire in January after he suffered defeat against Oleksandr Usyk in a heavyweight rematch in Saudi Arabia.

However, many hope he will return to the top ring for the match against AJ. That possibility exists because this isn’t the first time Fury has announced his retirement from the boxing world.

Fury has announced retirement several times and then comeback. However, in a recent post on Instagram he made sure he would still retire.

“Why am I back? I am retired and will still retire. I don’t need to prove anything to anyone and there’s nothing I need to get,” he said, quoted by Sky Sport.

Fury and Joshua have repeatedly been linked to one of the biggest fights in British boxing history. However, negotiations to make their fight always end up failing.

Suffering from successive defeats against Usyk then made Fury decide to end his boxing career. The two defeats made him miss the opportunity to become a heavyweight champion indisputable.

“I’m happy, satisfied with what I’ve accomplished and got. I’ve been around the world and come back again and there’s a retirement period for my King,” Fury said.

Fury recently hinted that he would return to boxing when he uploaded a video of himself on the gym with coach SugarHill Steward.

If this happens, Fury and Joshua’s duel will capture who the best heavyweight fighters in England are. The clash is one that many fans have always been waiting for.

Anthony Joshua is hopeful of one day sharing the ring with Tyson Fury despite ‘The Gypsy King’ insisting he will remain retired.

On Saturday, Fury told his 6.7million Instagram followers that he is ‘happy’ and ‘content’ with his decision to hang up his gloves.

Hours later, AJ took to Snapchat to upload a picture of himself watching Fury box, with the caption: “One of these days, it will be me standing in the opposite corner, ready and fully charged spiritually.”

Fury called time on his career in January following back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk.

However, a series of social media posts suggested he could be on the verge of a comeback.

Last week, he revealed he was attending a ‘business meeting’ with his father, John Fury.

And one month prior, he had uploaded a video of himself and long-time trainer SugarHill Steward in the gym together.

But Fury put an end to the speculation over the weekend while on holiday with his wife, Paris Fury.

“Good morning, people,” he said from a beautiful view of Lake Como in Italy.

“I hear a lot of talk about ‘The Gypsy King’ returning to boxing and I ask this question first of all: for what? “I’ve been around the world and back again, and here we are, this is what retirement looks like for the Gypsy King, not too shabby.

“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. So here we are, I am retired and I am staying retired.

“I have nothing to prove to anybody and nothing to return for. God bless you all, and see you on the other side.”

British boxing fans have been clamouring to see Fury and Joshua exchange leather for the best part of 9 years.

The pair have been in negotiations several times, but nothing has ever come to fruition.

The closest they came to sharing the ring together was four years ago when the Brits held all four major sanctioning body belts between them.

Both parties reached an agreement for a two-fight deal, with the first meeting set to take place in Saudi Arabia in August 2021.

However, a judge in a US court ruled that Deontay Wilder was entitled to a third fight with Fury, thus derailing their plans.