Tyson Fury’s boxing retirement may be coming to an end, with plans moving toward a long-awaited showdown against Anthony Joshua in 2026.
According to reports from both ESPN and Bleacher Report, the two former heavyweight champions are being lined up to headline a major Riyadh Season event.
Fury announced his retirement in January 2025 following back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk, stepping away from the sport with a professional record of 34-2-1 and 24 knockouts.
At the time, he suggested nothing could lure him back, even claiming that a £1 billion payday wouldn’t be enough.
Recently, Fury fueled comeback talk with a dramatic social media post that caught the boxing world's attention. “The king must return to his throne,” he wrote. “There is a long and lonely road that only I can walk on, but after the long and hard battles awaits immortality.”
His promoter, Queensberry, later shared the message alongside an image of Fury wearing a crown, adding to the growing sense that a return is already in motion.
Joshua, meanwhile, is still active and looking to reset his momentum. The former unified heavyweight champion enters December’s eight-round bout against Jake Paul in Miami, his first fight since being stopped by Daniel Dubois in September 2024. Joshua currently holds a 28-4 record with 25 knockouts and has been vocal about wanting Fury next.
The rivalry has lingered for years. Joshua previously called out Fury on social media, saying he hoped to be “punching Fury’s head in” while easily dealing with his jab. Despite multiple near-misses—including a failed undisputed title fight in 2021—the two British heavyweights have never shared the ring.
Both fighters are expected to take separate bouts in early 2026 as part of Riyadh Season before a potential meeting later that year. The plan hinges on each man getting through those fights without setbacks, but confidence appears to be growing behind the scenes.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has made it clear that Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh is central to the negotiations. “Turki Alalshikh has told us, ‘I am going to make AJ v Tyson Fury. This is your deal. Do you accept?’” Hearn said. “We have accepted.”