What's concerning about Fury and Joshua fights a day apart?

A few weeks after Anthony Joshua vs. Kristian Prenga was announced for July 25, live on DAZN and Ultimate Tier, Tyson Fury swooped right in and announced that he’ll be fighting former world heavyweight title challenger Mariusz Wach on July 24.

Way to steal some thunder and shift the pressure onto Joshua, right? Well, barring any unforeseen events, ‘AJ’ and ‘The Gypsy King’ will clash during the fourth quarter of 2026 in a massive heavyweight tilt that has been a decade-plus in the making.

There’s something I really like about the way this collision course is taking shape and there’s a particular item that’s sparking a sharp cause of concern. I explain both below here for DAZN News.

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What I like about Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua having fights a day apart: The Gamesmanship

Henry NICHOLLS / AFP via Getty Images

After Tyson Fury outpointed Arslanbek Makhmudov via unanimous decision in April, ‘The Gypsy King’ and Anthony Joshua had a compelling exchange. It took place when Fury grabbed the mic and tried to force AJ’s hand into verbally accepting a fight. “I challenge you, Anthony Joshua, to fight me, ‘The Gypsy King, NEXT!” Fury exclaimed, his voice roaring with each word. “DO YOU ACCEPT MY CHALLENGE!?”

Joshua, sitting ringside, remained composed and kept his steely gaze laser-focused on Fury without caving into his demands. Instead, he offered: “You ain’t gonna tell me what to do. I’ve been chasing you for the last 10 years. When you’re ready, you come and see me and tell me your terms and conditions, and I’ll have you in the ring when I’m ready. I’m the boss. You work for me. I’m the landlord, remember that.”

It was a moment of pristine gamesmanship.

Fast forward a bit from there and Joshua had his June 1 launch press conference to formally announce his July 25 fight against Kristian Prenga.

On June 30, Fury vs. Mariusz Wach was announced for July 24 — a day before Joshua’s fight.

Just like that, the Fury-Joshua gamesmanship continued … and I love it.

This will likely progress with their post-bout comments from their respective scraps and well into their own mega fight promotion.

The more gamesmanship we get, the better the build for this star-studded fight. I'm all for it.

What concerns me about Fury and Joshua having fights a day apart: The risk of it all

As highly-anticipated as this mega merger is between Fury and Joshua, a part of me would rather just have them head into their super fight than have these tune-up bouts. After all, is there any such thing as a true warm-up fight in the heavyweight division?

I was there in 2019 reporting live during the buildup to Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz in New York City and like many, thought AJ was going to record another resounding knockout. Instead, Joshua got knocked down four times and stopped in one of the biggest upsets not only in boxing history, but sports, period.

Fury and Joshua will be sizeable favorites heading into their respective fights. Yet, Prenga (20-1, 20 KOs) is a 6-foot-5 Albanian who counts all 20 of his professional victories by knockout. At 46, Wach (39-13, 20 KOs) has no business defeating Fury. Still, you just never know.

If either man takes what would be an unforeseen loss, it would definitely strip some luster from their collision course. So a part of me would rather see this time used as a promotional tour that touches down in every boxing hotbed such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York City, and Riyadh before rightfully ending in England.

Yes, they could still do this kind of media blitz closer to their fight. But having these warm-up fights are a risk, especially in boxing’s glamour division where any heavyweight is one punch away from segueing from massive underdog to triumphant winner.