Fury vs. Joshua: “Next return of the “Gypsy King” to boxing in 2026?

Tyson Fury Could Return to the Ring in 2026: Who Are the Possible Opponents?

The boxing world remains in anticipation. Tyson Fury, the charismatic former heavyweight champion, seems ready to, once again, end his retirement and return to action in 2026. The news has generated great expectation among fans and sports experts, who wonder what the future holds for the “Gypsy King”.

“He indicated that he wants to fight next year,” promoter Frank Warren stated on his Queensberry Promotions YouTube channel on October 9.

Frank Warren

Fury, with a record of 34 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw, and 24 knockouts, has not stepped into the ring since his second defeat by decision against the undisputed heavyweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk, in December. After that fight, Fury announced his retirement, but now it seems that retirement could be short-lived. Faced with this possible return, the question that arises is: Who will be Fury’s next opponent? Will he face a high-level challenge immediately? Will the long-awaited fight against Anthony Joshua finally be seen, or will he seek a more accessible fight to regain his rhythm? We analyze the five possible contenders for the return of the “Gypsy King”.

The Fight That Should Happen: Anthony Joshua

Although it may not be as significant as when they both held the heavyweight world titles, the demand to see a Fury vs. Joshua fight remains high, especially in the United Kingdom. The English rivals had serious conversations to face each other five years ago, but attempts to make the fight have failed to materialize into one of the most anticipated boxing matches. With both boxers approaching 40 and in the final stage of their careers, there is the awareness that time is running out to obtain a large sum of money by sharing the ring, regardless of whether there is a title at stake or not.

“It was one of the most amazing comebacks I’ve seen. We never knew that was going to happen, did we?”, commented Eddie Hearn, Matchroom promoter, who has guided Joshua’s career since his professional debut in 2013.

Eddie Hearn

Hearn added that, if the deal is right, Joshua will fight Fury. Joshua, a former two-time heavyweight world champion, hasn’t fought since he was knocked out in the fifth round by Daniel Dubois in September 2024. Elbow surgery has delayed the return of Joshua, 36, but he is expected to box again at the end of this year or the beginning of 2026. Hearn mentioned that Joshua will have an intermediate fight before a possible showdown with Fury.

“The obvious one is Joshua because everyone wanted to see that fight and [still] wants to see that fight. That’s obvious,” Warren said. “To be honest, it’s all about the money.”

Frank Warren

Recently, Warren and Hearn have held separate conversations about the possibility of finalizing the Joshua vs. Fury fight with Turki Alalshikh, currently the most influential figure in world boxing.

“I think Turki Alalshikh is probably the only one who can make the fight with Tyson Fury happen because both are going to want a large amount of money and Turki has a reputation for organizing the biggest fights in the sport,” Hearn said.

Eddie Hearn

The main unknown is whether Fury feels ready to go directly into a fight with Joshua or prefers an intermediate fight, which could delay the match until the second half of 2026.

The Fight That Could Happen: Martin Bakole or Fabio Wardley

After more than a year out of the ring, Fury could opt for a warm-up fight. A less threatening opponent, but with enough renown to be considered a credible rival, could be Bakole. Bakole, 33, is looking for a significant fight and has sparred with Fury in the past. Although he was defeated by Joseph Parker in February, Bakole could be an option. If Bakole faces Joshua, Fury could easily be matched with Fabio Wardley. Wardley, with a record of 19 wins and 18 knockouts, is a dangerous boxer, as he demonstrated by knocking out Justis Huni. Wardley is scheduled to face Parker on October 25.

The Fight We Don’t Want to See: Oleksandr Usyk

Fury feels a deep sense of injustice over the result of his rematch with Usyk, a feeling that is not widely shared by the media. Usyk, 38, has a 2-0 record over Fury and continued his impressive form in a masterful fifth-round KO victory over Dubois in July. It’s difficult to argue in favor of Fury overcoming the odds in a third encounter against the undisputed heavyweight champion, but along with Joshua, this could be the fight Fury desires. Usyk has mentioned that his retirement day is near, and he could be tempted by a trilogy fight with a large sum of money before leaving boxing. However, Fury could earn more against Joshua and has a greater chance of beating him, so it is unlikely that trilogy fight with Usyk will be next.

The Most Dangerous: Moses Itauma

Fury is fully aware of how dangerous Itauma is, after the 20-year-old achieved his eighth victim in the first round in his most recent fight. Itauma (13-0, 11 KOs) could be fighting on December 13th, but it won’t be against Fury.

The One Who Won’t Accept: Joseph Parker

Parker, the former WBO champion, is in an excellent position to get a world title opportunity in 2026, as long as he avoids defeat against Wardley on October 25th. Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) holds the WBO interim title, and if he defeats Wardley, he will enter 2026 as the first in line to fight Usyk, in what could be Usyk’s last fight before his retirement. One might think that, given Parker’s status, he would be the ideal opponent for Fury to regain ground. But Fury and Parker are good friends, and Parker even trains at Fury’s gym in Morecambe, England, and they share the same coach, Andy Lee. This is a fight that might not happen.