Tyson Fury has confirmed a return to the ring on August 1 in Dublin, just one week after fellow former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua makes his own comeback. The pair remain on course for the long-awaited 'Battle of Britain' showdown expected in November, but appear set for warm-up fights first.
Joshua will face little-known Albanian Kristian Prenga in Riyadh on July 25. It will be Joshua's first fight since a car crash in Nigeria in December killed two of his close friends.
In a video posted on Instagram Story, Fury showed himself training in Thailand with the caption: 'Let's go, August 1, Dublin, Ireland.' The fight is likely part of a card promoted by veteran promoter Frank Warren in Dublin on that date.
No opponent has been announced for Fury yet, though Warren has ruled out a fight with Andy Ruiz Jr., the man who dethroned Joshua to win the world title in 2019 before losing the rematch later that year.
Fury marked his return from a 16-month retirement with a dominant win over Russian Arslanbek Makhmudov in April, immediately calling out Joshua, who was at ringside. Instead of meeting at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the two engaged in a verbal spat, with Joshua taunting Fury by declaring: 'I'm the A-side. Remember that. You work for me.'
Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn later insisted: 'Signed, sealed, delivered! AJ vs Fury is on.'
