Boxing fans have long awaited an all-British heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Despite the rivalry being filled with trash talk, the actual fight remains elusive, leaving a significant void in this generation’s heavyweight division.

Attempts to bring the fight to fruition have seen contracts sent, venues booked, and bluffs called, yet no bout has materialized. Last year, Fury would have been the clear favorite, but recent performances have shifted the balance. Fury’s below-par showing against Francis Ngannou and his subsequent loss to Oleksandr Usyk have many now favoring Joshua.

Boxing legend Mike Tyson recently shared his thoughts, suggesting that current form tips the scales in Joshua’s favor. “You’ve got to measure how Tyson did and how Joshua did [with their] last couple of opponents. My measuring stick tilts in favor of Anthony Joshua,” Tyson said. “Even though he got beat by Usyk twice, it wasn’t as bad as [Fury’s loss].”

Fury and Joshua share several common opponents, including Kevin Johnson, Wladimir Klitschko, Dillian Whyte, Otto Wallin, Francis Ngannou, and Oleksandr Usyk. Notably, Joshua dispatched Wallin in five rounds, whereas Fury went the distance and suffered a severe cut. Fury was knocked down by Ngannou before earning a split decision, but Joshua defeated the MMA star inside five minutes.

The Usyk bouts are particularly telling. While Fury had a strong middle-round performance against Usyk, he was badly hurt in the ninth round. Joshua, on the other hand, endured flurries from Usyk without being knocked down, though he was visibly troubled in their first fight.

The consensus among fans is that the only way to settle the debate is to make the fight happen. However, it won’t be taking place this year. Joshua is scheduled to fight again in September at Wembley Stadium, with his opponent likely being the winner of the Filip Hrgovic versus Daniel Dubois bout this weekend.

As anticipation builds, the boxing world remains hopeful that the long-awaited Fury vs. Joshua clash will finally come to fruition, providing a definitive answer to one of the sport’s biggest questions.