Former super-featherweight champion Barry Jones has tipped Tyson Fury as the likely winner in a highly anticipated heavyweight showdown with Anthony Joshua, even as both British boxing stars come off losses in their most recent title fights.
Speaking on the 5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce podcast, Jones described Fury as the clear favorite in the matchup.
“Fury is a massive favorite, but in general, he was always a slight favorite against Joshua,” Jones said. “He’ll want the Joshua fight because he’s beaten almost every fighter of his generation. It might be a different Joshua, but it’s also a different Fury. I think to get Joshua on his record in years to come will show how good he is.”
The bout, which could generate over $300 million in revenue, remains one of the most anticipated fights in boxing. Despite the hype, both fighters are looking to recover from recent setbacks—Fury having lost twice to Oleksandr Usyk, while Joshua suffered a knockout defeat to IBF champion Daniel Dubois.
Joshua, who recently met with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, has expressed his eagerness to take on Fury.
“2025, I am targeting Tyson Fury,” the British-Nigerian fighter stated. “Time is of the essence; time is limited, so I just want to put in more work. When I look back, I believe I could have done more in 2024.”
Top Rank president Todd DuBoef echoed the fight’s significance, predicting that it would captivate the nation.
“In the UK, the country would stop for an hour to see what happens,” DuBoef told Sky Sports. “They’re like peanut butter and jelly, Joshua and Fury—they go together.”
Boxing analyst Steve Bunce, however, warned of the potential consequences for the loser of the matchup.
“The loser has a massive amount to lose,” Bunce said. “Fury can lose to Usyk again, no problem. Joshua can lose to Dubois again, no problem. But this is a monumental fight, and the loser of that drops a lot of ground, pride-wise.”
While Wembley Stadium is a likely venue for the clash, Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh has expressed interest in hosting it during the Riyadh Season.
Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, has confirmed that the British-Nigerian won’t return to the ring until at least May 2024. He called the potential showdown “the biggest fight probably in the history of British boxing.”