While other routes remain open, including a title fight against the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois or a third fight with Oleksandr Usyk, Fury’s comments point in one direction. He is chasing Joshua, not another belt.
“Of course, if it’s a fight to be made, let’s get it done. Let me get Makhmudov out of the way, and we’re on,” Fury said to Sky Sports Boxing.
The shift becomes clearer when he weighs that option against title opportunities. Fury has already held every major belt during his career, and the motivation to repeat that run appears lower than the chance to settle the Joshua rivalry.
“But being a five-time world champion. I’d take the chance to knock AJ out,” Tyson said.
That comment goes against the usual priorities in boxing, where fighters typically build toward titles as the central goal. Fury is describing something different.
For Fury, the Joshua fight comes first. He also suggested that the fight still carries the biggest draw in the sport, despite years of delays and missed opportunities to make it earlier.
“The biggest fight for me in world boxing and the biggest fight in the world of boxing is me versus AJ,” Fury said. “Even today, even after all these years, it’s still the biggest fight in boxing.”
Anthony has recently returned to training after a difficult period outside the ring, and Fury acknowledged that while giving him space. At the same time, he showed little concern about Joshua working with Oleksandr Usyk, dismissing any benefit that might bring ahead of a potential fight.
For Tyson, 37, the path is simple. Handle Makhmudov, then move straight into the fight that has defined the heavyweight division without ever being made.
At this point, he sounds less interested in adding another title than in finally getting Joshua in the ring.
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