AFTER Tyson Fury earned a wide points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov on his comeback to boxing after a 16-month break, he called out longtime rival Anthony Joshua, hoping to finally put on the fight that fans have been crying out for for nearly a decade.
However, many fans now share the same opinion as Carl Froch who was on the panel for the event who said, “It’s about five years too late, Fury’s been beaten twice and past his best, Joshua’s been badly knocked out”.
Obviously, it needs to be said that with the reaching and financial power of Netflix the fight probably is closer than it ever has been before.
But if they do miss each other again, it adds another chapter to the story of how the biggest fight in British boxing continuously fell apart that began just under nine years ago.
When Joshua earned his biggest win when he stopped Wladimir Klitschko in April 2017 to become unified WBA and IBF Champion, he brought up the prospect of a clash with Fury.
Fury at this time, though, was at the peak of his personal demons, so there was no chance of the superfight happening before Tyson’s comeback the next year.
2020 would’ve been the ideal time to put on the clash, Fury had returned to the top of the mountain, with a seven-round demolition of the undefeated Deontay Wilder to become WBC Champion.
Covid ruined the prospect of it taking part in a massive stadium which it deserved. There was still a chance it could happen in a smaller venue with a limited crowd, like Joshua v Pulev that year.
The two parties had reportedly agreed on a December date, but Wilder was adamant that he had a right to a rubber match with the Gypsy King, and eventually got his wish, and once again Joshua v Fury had been scuppered.
There was a slight chance of it taking place in 2022, when Fury, after u-turning on another retirement, was after his next opponent after his victory over Dillian Whyte.
Fury offered Joshua a chance to fight him for the title but set many deadlines, and Joshua didn’t even acknowledge it, and subsequently, Fury took on Derek Chisora for the third time.
Hopefully for everyone from boxers to promoters to fans, it will be better late than never for the battle of Britain.
