Tyson Fury Confirms Heavyweight Bout Against Anthony Joshua at Madison Square Garden

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury has confirmed that his anticipated bout against fellow British boxer Anthony Joshua will be held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Although an exact date for the encounter has not yet been formally established, the event is expected to occur in November.

The match was arranged after both boxers signed contracts with Turki Alalshikh, who serves as the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. Fury publicly announced the venue choice on Instagram, describing New York City as “the land of opportunity” and writing, “What a place, what a venue, what a fight.”

The selection of an American location for a matchup featuring two of the United Kingdom’s most prominent heavyweight boxers drew negative reactions from some fans. Commenters on Fury’s social media post expressed frustration over the venue choice, raising questions about why the contest was not staged at a major British venue such as Wembley Stadium in London.

The agreement marks the resolution of years of stalled negotiations between Fury and Joshua. The two camps were previously unable to finalize terms for a potential fight in 2021. Those earlier plans collapsed entirely after a ruling by a United States judge compelled Fury to enter a third match against American fighter Deontay Wilder.

Fury, who turned 38 in August, enters the planned event with a professional career record of 36 wins and two losses. Both of his career defeats occurred in 2024 against Ukrainian fighter Oleksandr Usyk, with the second defeat involving three of the four major world heavyweight championship titles.

Following his second loss to Usyk, Fury initially announced his retirement from professional boxing in December 2024. However, his departure from the sport was short-lived, as he formally announced his intention to return to boxing in January.

To prepare for his return to major competition, Fury competed in a tune-up contest in July at the Max Muay Thai Stadium in Pattaya, Thailand. In front of a crowd of approximately 1,500 fans, Fury claimed victory after forcing his Polish opponent, Mariusz Wach, to retire during the bout.

Background

Heavyweight boxing has experienced significant financial investment from Saudi Arabian organizers in recent years, with high-profile bouts frequently scheduled across global locations. A matchup between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua has long been considered one of the most lucrative potential events in British sports history, though contractual disputes, mandatory title defenses, and legal rulings repeatedly delayed agreement between the two rival camps.