- Anthony Joshua Welcomes Tyson Fury To Ring After Next Fight
- Fury faces Mariusz Wach in Thailand one day before Joshua’s bout.
- Saudi Arabia, Las Vegas and New York emerge as potential fight venues.
Anthony Joshua has said Tyson Fury will be welcome to join him in the ring after his next fight, provided Fury completes his own assignment and Joshua defeats Kristian Prenga in Jeddah.
The long anticipated all British heavyweight showdown appears to be moving closer after both fighters returned to action and began positioning themselves for a potential clash.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Fury ended a 16 month retirement in April with a victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov in Tottenham, with Joshua watching from ringside.
However, Joshua declined to participate in a face off with Fury, insisting that no agreement had been reached for the proposed fight at the time.
Joshua has now signed to make his comeback against Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga on July 25.
Prenga enters the contest with a professional record of 20 wins and one defeat, while Fury is scheduled to face veteran Polish boxer Mariusz Wach in Thailand a day earlier.
Fury is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia after his bout to watch Joshua’s fight, potentially creating the first public confrontation between the two British rivals ahead of their proposed Battle of Britain.
Joshua said Fury would be welcome to enter the ring if he wins his July 25 fight.
“If he wants to come in the ring when I win July 25th, feel welcome. Come into my territory. I am the landlord. I am going to welcome you into my home. You do not welcome me into your home,” Joshua told DAZN.
The former two time heavyweight world champion also explained why he declined calls for a face off during Fury’s previous fight.
“I have been in that position before where I have signed contracts with Fury, so I did not play into the games. I was there on a scouting mission. I wanted to see what my future opponent was going to look like, and I saw a lot. I saw some good, I saw some vulnerabilities in there,” he said.
Joshua, 36, and Fury, 37, are yet to agree on a date and venue for what could become one of the biggest all British fights in boxing history.
Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh remains interested in staging the contest in Saudi Arabia, although a later start time has reportedly been proposed to accommodate the American television audience.
Las Vegas and New York have also emerged as possible venues for the fight.
However, licensing issues continue to raise questions over whether the bout could take place in London or Cardiff.
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