Anthony Joshua (24-1, 22 KOs) will be making his third consecutive defense of his WBA (super), IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles against Oleksander Usyk (18-0, 13 KOs) on Saturday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. If Joshua defeats Usyk, there will be one expected option for his bout:
Tyson Fury.
Fury, who is the WBC and The Ring magazine heavyweight champion, and Joshua agreed to a two-fight deal in March to unify their titles. However, after an announcement the two would fight on Aug. 14, a judge in a U.S. court ruled Fury would have to fight Deontay Wilder for a third time, which will take place on Oct. 9.
Assuming Fury and Joshua each win their respective defenses, their megafight could be on the horizon. But in boxing, it’s always unknown if the top fighters in their respective divisions will ever face off in their primes (see: Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Gennady Golovkin vs. Canelo Alvarez).
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Here’s a current look at the top-ranked fighters in the heavyweight division by ESPN and where Joshua could go next if he beats Usyk.
| Ranking | Fighter | Record |
| 1 | Tyson Fury | 30-0-1 (21 KOs) |
| 2 | Anthony Joshua | 24-1 (22 KOs) |
| 3 | Deontay Wilder | 42-1-1 (41 KOs) |
| 4 | Oleksandr Usyk | 18-0 (13 KOs) |
| 5 | Andy Ruiz Jr. | 34-2 (22 KOs) |
| 6 | Dillian Whyte | 28-2 (19 KOs) |
| 7 | Joseph Parker | 29-2 (21 KOs) |
| 8 | Joe Joyce | 13-0 (12 KOs) |
| 9 | Michael Hunter | 20-1-1 (14 KOs) |
| 10 | Luis Ortiz | 32-2 (27 KOs) |
Fury vs. Wilder, the next big heavyweight bout
Fury will face Wilder for a third time on Oct. 9, culminating a trilogy that will end up deciding who will face Joshua or perhaps Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight crown.
MORE: Anthony Joshua vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight date, time, PPV odds, price & location for 2021 boxing match
Fury won the last bout between the two in February 2020 by technical knockout. After the bout, Wilder created controversy by saying his 45-pound pre-fight costume contributed to him having “no legs” during the bout. He also claimed Fury tampered with his gloves, causing his ear to bleed in the second fight.
Regardless of what happened in that bout, Fury and Wilder are expected to settle their score with their third fight. The pair drew in their first meeting in December of 2018, a fight Fury arguably won though Wilder had a pair of fearsome knockdowns, including this one in the 12th round.
Here are highlights of Fury’s win over Wilder in their second fight, which featured two knockdowns of his own.
Tale of the tape: Joshua vs. Fury/Wilder
Here’s a look at how Joshua would compare to Fury or Wilder in a potential clash.
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| Fighter | Record | Height | Reach | Stance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyson Fury | 30-0-1 (21 KOs) | 6-foot-9 | 85 inches | Orthodox |
| Anthony Joshua | 24-1 (22 KOs) | 6-foot-6 | 82 inches | Orthodox |
| Deontay Wilder | 42-1-1 (41 KOs) | 6-foot-7 | 83 inches | Orthodox |