Amid heavy links to an eventual showdown next year, both Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have been warned against ending their careers with “regrets”.
Currently retired, former WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has not yet booked his long-anticipated return to the ring since his back-to-back decision losses to Ukrainian rival Oleksandr Usyk.
As for former two-time champion Anthony Joshua, the Watford native has been out of action since his own loss, suffering a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois a year ago.
However, with links gathering pace on a summer showdown next year, Fury and Joshua have been urged by British boxing royalty to finally settle their grudge.
Photo by Mark Robinson/Getty ImagesLennox Lewis urges Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua to finally fight
As far as former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis is concerned, a clash of Fury and Joshua must happen next year — or risk never happening at all.
He himself, considered one of the greatest heavyweights of all-time and arguably the best boxer in British history, Lewis admitted he would have regretted not fighting Mike Tyson. And fears Fury and Joshua would regret not facing each other.
“They [Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua] should fight each other,” Lewis told talkSPORT. “I think the British public is waiting for that fight. Like, you know, for me, my regret would have been not fighting Mike Tyson.
“…I think for the British fighters, they need to close the [heavyweight] era, too,” Lewis continued. “But if they don’t want to, it’s up to them. You know, they’re the kings for their — for what they want to do.”
And with Joshua expected to make a historic trip to Ghana at the beginning of next year for a return to boxing, a pairing with Fury has received quite a sizable boost.
Tyson Fury’s own future cast into doubt
But while Joshua’s future seems clearer to a degree, Fury’s own chances of making a walk to the ring have been thrown into jeopardy.
Issuing a scathing callout to the Morecambe native, Joshua admitted he hoped to share the ring with Fury in his immediate return to boxing.
However, as far as Fury’s long-time promoter Frank Warren is concerned, fans should not get too hopeful when it comes to seeing the ex-WBC kingpin in the ring soon.