Even before Tyson Fury lost his return fight with Oleksandr Usyk, the man who really will go down as Fury’s nemesis, there was plenty of talk of Fury fighting Anthony Joshua – who was also twice bested by Usyk in 12 round distance fights – next year. The fight, one that is, according to Eddie Hearn, a showdown that would go down as the biggest in British boxing history and would easily sell out Wembley, might happen next year.
Right now, so many people are saying the fight is the “only one left” for both former heavyweight champions from the UK. Fury may well retire, while Joshua does have that crushing loss to Daniel Dubois to avenge, should AJ wish to try and do so. But the fight that makes real sense for both Joshua and Fury is one with each other.
Fans are still interested, on these shores especially, and as bad a defeat as AJ suffered at the hands of Dubois, and as deflated and down as Fury may well be after twice failing to solve the Usyk puzzle, this fight could be looked at as close to a 50-50 affair. Styles make fights, and maybe Joshua could give Fury real problems, with his power and with his physicality.
One man who we know we need to listen to when making his pick for this possibility of a fight for 2025 is Usyk himself. Speaking with Boxing King Media, Usyk, who of course shared the ring with AJ for 24 rounds and did the same with Fury, was asked which 24 rounds were harder, and who would win and how if Fury and Joshua did get it on.
“Tyson Fury,” Usyk replied instantly when asked the first question. “Maybe it’s Anthony Joshua [who wins if they fight]. I don’t know [how he wins]. Maybe points. I don’t know.”
Most likely, if you asked a bunch of fight fans today who would win, Fury or AJ, most of them would tell you Fury. Fury has never been KO’d, whereas Joshua has been taken out, twice. The sight of a fighter being felled and stopped really does leave an impression on a fight fan’s mind. Fury looked good against Usyk on Saturday, with him showing he is far from shot. Joshua, however, took a nasty beating at the hands of Dubois and AJ’s punch resistance may never be the same.
According to so many people, the only truly big fight they have left is one with each other, but who wins if Fury and Joshua do fight? It is perhaps surprising that Usyk, though far from certain, suggested Joshua may win on points. Plenty of other people no doubt feel this one would not go the distance
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