Tyson Fury Claims Anthony Joshua Is Pulling Out, Challenges Usyk to Trilogy
Tyson Fury has claimed that Anthony Joshua is backing out of their proposed boxing match and has redirected his focus toward Oleksandr Usyk. The British heavyweight has issued a challenge for a trilogy fight to take place in November 2026.
British heavyweight boxing star Tyson Fury has taken to social media to claim that his domestic rival Anthony Joshua is pulling out of their planned matchup. According to verified facts, Fury published a series of video statements on Instagram outlining the breakdown in negotiations regarding their highly anticipated bout.
The two fighters had previously been in serious talks for a meeting that was expected to take place in November at Madison Square Garden in New York, USA. However, with those plans seemingly stalling, Fury has publicly stated that he is now actively looking for a new opponent to face inside the squared circle.
Addressing the current state of affairs, Fury directed his attention firmly toward Oleksandr Usyk, whom the British fighter has previously faced twice. Historically, Tyson Fury has twice lost to Oleksandr Usyk in their previous encounters, establishing a competitive history that has now fueled calls for a third meeting between the pair.
In his video address, Fury specifically called out the Ukrainian champion, stating: "This will only lead me to a fight with Oleksandr Usyk." Continuing his remarks on Instagram, Fury added: "Oleksandr, you’re his trainer and his sensei, and you know he is … weak-minded … and that he would never fight the Gypsy King, which you have had the guts to do twice."
Looking ahead to a potential third encounter, Fury offered a pragmatic assessment of their previous bouts before laying down a firm ultimatum regarding the remainder of the calendar year. "You got the decisions last time, fair play to you. Good luck to you; let’s do it again. Let’s run it back in November," Fury said in his widely distributed video messages.
Concluding his challenge to the heavyweight division, Fury placed the final decision directly onto the shoulders of his former rival. "The ball is now in your court … do you want to fight me this year, 2026, or are you calling it quits? Let me know because I am now looking for a new opponent," Fury stated.
