‘It has to happen’ – Anthony Joshua reveals who he wants to fight in 2025
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Anthony Joshua has confirmed he wants to fight British heavyweight rival Tyson Fury in 2025. Joshua, 34, was sensationally dismantled by Daniel Dubois in front of 96,000 fans at Wembley in his last fight back in September. Dubois went into the fight as the huge underdog but dropped AJ multiple times in a stunning and ferocious display to retain his IBF heavyweight title.
![[Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk following the WBA, WBC, WBO, IBO World Heavyweight championship contest at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Picture date: Saturday December 21, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story BOXING Fury. Photo credit should read: Nick Potts/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_233985061-1f71.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Talks were held over a second fight but Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said his boxer was not fit enough for an immediate rematch and would therefore consider his options after a short lay-off and after watching Fury’s much-anticipated fight against Oleksandr Usyk.
![[Anthony Joshua v Daniel Dubois: Riyadh Season - Wembley Edition]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/GettyImages-2173601490.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Usyk won the fight on points – just as he did the first time the boxers met – leading to more uncertainly in the heavyweight division. Dubois entered the ring after Usyk’s second win to call out the Ukrainian, though he must first defend his world title against Joseph Parker on February 22.
![[Oleksandr Usyk v Tyson Fury 2 - Press Conference]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-2190708504.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
There were rumours Fury could walk away from the sport after suffering the second defeat of his career but the 36-year-old looks set to continue. Following Fury’s defeat to Usyk, Hearn said a fight with Joshua was the only realistic option for The Gypsy King, who boasted an unbeaten record up until last year.
Hearn also said Joshua was keen to fight Fury next – and now the 2012 Olympic champion has spoken out on a potential fight with his fellow Brit. ‘I’ve been involved in a whole lot of fights, but this has to happen in 2025,’ he told SportsBoom. ‘Of course, it has to happen, and hopefully it does happen.’.
