Tyson Fury Warns Anthony Joshua Against Fighting a Top Heavyweight
Tyson Fury has advised Anthony Joshua against stepping into the ring with Daniel Dubois again, warning that it would be a mistake. Joshua suffered a knockout loss to Dubois in five rounds last September during their IBF heavyweight title fight at Wembley Stadium. While he currently has no scheduled bout, Joshua is eager to return to the ring, and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, is working on securing a rematch with Dubois for 2025.
Anthony Joshua’s Professional Record (as of 08/03/25)
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Losses: 4
By knockout: 25 wins, 2 losses
By decision: 3 wins, 2 losses
Hearn has also mentioned the possibility of Joshua facing Tyson Fury, Joseph Parker, Deontay Wilder, or Agit Kabayel. However, given Joshua’s determination to avenge his defeat to Dubois, a rematch for the IBF title is considered his main priority.
Tyson Fury Doubts Joshua’s Chances in a Heavyweight Rematch
Despite Hearn and Joshua’s hopes for a second fight with Dubois, Fury is skeptical that a rematch would yield a different result. Speaking on The Stomping Ground, the former world champion was blunt when asked if Joshua could defeat Dubois the second time around: “No. I don’t think he can.”
Fury even cast doubt on whether the rematch would take place at all, saying, “I don’t even think he (Joshua) will take a rematch.”
Joshua has avenged a defeat before—he rebounded from a shocking knockout loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. in 2019 by outpointing him in their rematch. However, he failed to do the same against Oleksandr Usyk, losing back-to-back fights to the Ukrainian by decision.
What’s Next for the Heavyweight Division?
Dubois was supposed to defend his IBF title against Joseph Parker two weeks ago in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on the undercard of the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol rematch. However, he withdrew just days before the fight due to illness, and Martin Bakole stepped in as a last-minute replacement. Bakole struggled with the short-notice preparation and was stopped in the second round by Parker.
Dubois and his promoter, Frank Warren, may be looking beyond Joshua, potentially targeting an undisputed heavyweight showdown with Usyk. Usyk retained his belts after defeating Fury for the second time last December. While he already holds a victory over Dubois from their 2023 bout, the British fighter has improved since then and would be more confident in a rematch.
This situation puts Joshua in a difficult spot as he tries to secure another world title shot and become a three-time heavyweight champion.
While Joshua, Hearn, and many boxing fans still hope for a long-anticipated showdown between Joshua and Fury, the fight seems unlikely for now. Fury announced his retirement at the start of the year, though many in the boxing world remain unconvinced, as he has made similar claims in the past.
