Tyson Fury set for Thailand return as Anthony Joshua fight edges closer

Tyson Fury will step back into the ring later this month when he takes on Poland’s Mariusz Wach in Thailand, with the bout serving as the final stepping stone towards a long-awaited clash with Anthony Joshua.

The former heavyweight world champion faces the experienced Wach in Pattaya on 24 July, just one day before Joshua makes his own return to action against Kristian Prenga in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Joshua’s comeback will be his first since the tragic car crash in Nigeria in December 2025 that claimed the lives of two of his friends.

Victory for both men is expected to pave the way for one of British boxing’s biggest ever fights, with Fury and Joshua currently on course to finally meet towards the end of 2026.

Wach brings plenty of experience into the contest, having won 39 of his 51 professional fights, with 20 victories coming by knockout. However, the 46-year-old’s recent form has been mixed. He has managed just three wins from his last 10 outings and was stopped in the second round by Britain’s Moses Itauma during their WBO Intercontinental heavyweight title contest in July 2024.

The veteran has also previously fallen short against British opposition, losing to Dillian Whyte in 2019 before being beaten by Frazer Clarke four years later.

Back in April, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that the London 2012 Olympic gold medallist had agreed terms to fight Fury.

The announcement followed Fury’s successful return from a 15-month retirement, as he claimed a points victory over Russia’s Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

After that win, Fury wasted little time turning his attention to Joshua, who was watching from ringside. The Morecambe heavyweight called out his fellow Briton immediately after the final bell, with the pair exchanging words as Fury tried to tempt Joshua into climbing through the ropes.

There has been speculation in recent months that such a blockbuster contest could head to the United States, largely because of the influence of Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh.

However, speaking to BBC Sport last week, Hearn insisted that both fighters remain contractually committed to staging the contest in the UK.

Fury had previously suggested his next outing would take place in Dublin on 1 August, but instead the unbeaten heavyweight will head to Thailand as preparations continue for what could become one of the biggest all-British boxing matches in history.