Tyson Fury Calls Anthony Joshua a Coward Over Fight Delays
Tyson Fury has cranked up the pressure on Anthony Joshua, branding his long-time rival a “coward” as the two heavyweight stars wait to discover whether their long-promised all-British showdown will finally be signed – and where it will land.
What was supposed to be a November collision of eras is drifting into familiar territory: delay, dispute and doubt. The fight is contracted for the United Kingdom, but the organisers are understood to favour taking it to the United States. That single fault line – home soil versus American money – now threatens to derail a bout that has stalked the heavyweight division for years.
Joshua, a two-time unified world champion, and his promoter Eddie Hearn have already signed a contract for a UK staging. Hearn has been clear: if the venue moves abroad, the paperwork must be renegotiated. Nothing moves until that is resolved.
Fury, never one to let a pause in talks pass quietly, has filled the gap with noise.
The 38-year-old, who beat seasoned journeyman Mariusz Wach last month to keep the super-fight on course, admitted on Wednesday that the drawn-out talks are “quite tiring” – and then went on the offensive.
“I've been down to fight at every location that's been mentioned – England, Ireland, Vegas, New York, back to England, back to Ireland, back to New York,” Fury said. “Listen, I've said yep, yep, yep, yep, yep, every single time. Zero stipulations.”
Then came the jab that will sting inside Joshua’s camp.
“The facts are I feel like you're being a coward. I feel like you don't want the fight and you're just conning everybody. I feel like you've been doing that for years.
You’ve had many opportunities to fight me, but deep down you've never really wanted it, so let's see if you're going to man up for a final time.”
It was classic Fury: a mix of grievance, theatre and calculated provocation, aimed squarely at a rival he believes has stalled too often when their paths seemed set to cross.
He did not stop there. In a separate post, Fury appeared alongside former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, using the presence of the American icon to twist the knife a little more. Looking down the lens, he told Joshua, now 36, to “sign the contract, big boy” – a pointed homage to Tyson’s famous line and a reminder of the kind of heavyweight company Fury believes he keeps.
From Fury’s side, the message is that there are no obstacles left.
Queensbury promoter Frank Warren told Sky Sports News that his man is fully committed and legally locked in. “It is signed by Tyson,” Warren said. “Tyson is signed up for the fight and agreed for the fight.”
So the picture is stark. One side says its signature is on the contract, ready to go anywhere. The other insists any shift away from a British stadium night demands a fresh deal.
Between them sits the fight British boxing has chased for years – and a clock that will not stop while they argue over the map.
