Anthony Joshua's emphatic stoppage victory over Jake Paul has failed to shift the betting landscape for a potential all-British super-fight with Tyson Fury. Bookmakers have responded to Friday night's events in Miami by firmly installing 'The Gypsy King' as the 1/2 favourite should the long-awaited clash finally materialise in 2026.
The Miami Stoppage and a Swift Call-Out
Joshua (29-4) secured a sixth-round knockout against the YouTuber-turned-boxer, leaving Paul with a jaw broken in two places. The fight, which was streamed on Netflix, had a turgid start with Paul reluctant to engage and Joshua showing little urgency. The referee was forced to intervene, instructing both men in clear terms to start fighting, which ultimately led to the brutal and predictable conclusion.
Post-fight, Joshua wasted no time in directing his attention to his domestic rival. "If Tyson is as serious as he thinks he is, if he wants to put down his Twitter fingers and put on some gloves... step in the ring with me next," Joshua declared. He later issued a challenge mimicking Fury's own bravado: "I'll give the dosser eight weeks. 24 hours to sign a contract. Let's see if he's a man!"
Bookmakers' Stance and the Path to Fury
Despite Joshua's dominant performance, leading UK bookmaker Betfred makes Fury the strong favourite at 1/2, with Joshua priced at 13/8. Fury (34-2-1) has not fought since his second defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024 and has not won a bout since a contentious points victory over Francis Ngannou in October 2023.
Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, outlined a potential roadmap to the mega-fight. He suggested AJ could return to the ring as soon as February, with a bout against heavyweight kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven a possibility, before targeting Fury later in the year. "The plan is to fight in the spring and then obviously fight Tyson Fury," Hearn confirmed at a post-fight press conference.
Is an Interim Fight Necessary?
When asked if he would bypass a tune-up fight to face Fury directly, Joshua was unequivocal: "Yeah. I would. I would." Hearn supported this ambition, stating, "We can do that, by the way, straight away. No interim fights. If Tyson's ready and AJ's ready, we don't have to fight in February or March."
The stage now appears set for a critical period of negotiation. The boxing world waits to see if Fury, who has been vocal on social media but absent from the ring, will accept the challenge and finally sign to face Anthony Joshua in what would be one of the biggest sporting events in British history.
