Tyson Fury has publicly declared he is seeking a new opponent for November, dramatically calling out Oleksandr Usyk and claiming that Anthony Joshua is attempting to back out of their highly anticipated heavyweight showdown. The move comes amid ongoing disputes regarding the location of the contracted all-British clash.

Fury, who is contractually obligated to face Joshua next, posted an expletive-laden video on Instagram, directly accusing Joshua of cold feet. In the video, Fury turned his attention to Usyk, who has recently joined Joshua’s training and coaching team.

“Oleksandr you’re his [Joshua’s] 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,” Fury stated, referencing Usyk’s two previous victories over him. He then challenged Usyk directly: “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. 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.”

Venue disputes stall Joshua-Fury bout

Despite Fury’s latest broadside, both Joshua and Fury signed individual contracts for their contest, which has been targeted for November. The primary obstacle to an official announcement has been the disagreement over the fight’s location.

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Saudi Arabian promoter Sela is fronting the bill for the prospective Joshua-Fury fight, with both men signing separate contracts with the company. Organisers, including Sela and broadcaster Netflix, are reportedly pushing to stage the fight in the US, with New York’s Madison Square Garden understood to be a favoured venue. However, Joshua’s contract stipulates the fight must take place in the UK, with Wembley Stadium being his preferred location.

Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, is currently renegotiating details in Joshua’s deal. Hearn had expressed hope for an announcement in the coming week, but this now appears unlikely given the ongoing friction.

London mayor pushes for Wembley

The prospect of a UK-based fight has received strong backing from political figures. London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan made a public plea for the fight to happen at Wembley Stadium, confirming that his office had been contacted by Sela in recent weeks regarding the national stadium. However, BBC Sport understands that talks between Sela and the London mayor’s office have not progressed further since last week.

Sir Sadiq emphasized London’s readiness to host the event. “A message to the promoters – we want to host it in London. Talk to us, we’re really keen to have it,” he told BBC Sport on Thursday. He added, “I’m hoping the promoters understand that not only will you get 100,000 people watching this bout live, you’ll get millions watching it across the globe, where both boxers are cheered on by their loyal fans.”

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While a Wembley bout might require an early hours start to attract a larger US television audience, Khan’s team has indicated they would support such a proposal. Neither Sela, Queensberry, nor Matchroom have commented on whether talks for the Joshua-Fury fight have broken down.

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