SportBoxingTyson FuryTyson Fury and Anthony Joshua both have bouts on the cards, which are effectively warm-ups ahead of a potential heavyweight clash, with their styles making for an intriguing bout08:32, 10 Jul 2026Some warm-up fights are more meaningful than others.‌Put it this way, Tyson Fury’s Thailand mission against Mariusz Wach is unlikely to be a learning experience for either. Wach is 46 and failed to make the bell at the end of the second in his last engagement against Moses Itauma.‌Anthony Joshua takes on lightly-regarded Albanian Kristian Prenga a day later in Saudi Arabia. Prenga has 20 knockouts in 21 fights, all against journeymen, one of whom actually avenged a loss against him.‌So what this is about is promoting their coming showdown in the autumn when they will finally get in the same ring together, most likely at Wembley. The power of the American market dictates an early hours start in London if Wembley is confirmed, to maximise the broadcast audience.By appearing so close together at the end of this month they stoke the fires of anticipation for a showdown long overdue and past its sell-by-date.Their days as elite champions are gone. But that does not mean our appetite for it is any less. They have been the biggest names in British boxing for the last ten years and the interest in them justifies the show. They are box office characters. When they walk in a room they turn heads. And they have been world class fighters.‌It is a travesty we never got to see them at their peaks. There are rumours about them sparring in their younger days. Boxers’ code forbids the sharing of sparring details, and besides it doesn’t mean much now.Fury has lost his confidence a bit and Joshua can still really bang. That is why he has the edge for me.‌Fury troubled Oleksandr Usyk more than Joshua. Styles make fights and I still fancy Joshua, who has been working with Usyk, which shows a desire to improve. And that’s healthy.He was badly stopped by Daniel Dubois, which will have upset him, and then he suffered the tragic loss of two friends in the Nigeria car crash.Fury is not a destructive puncher in the same way as Dubois. Nor does he pulverise like Joshua can. Fury will want to put on a show and prove he is the superior boxer.Article continues belowJoshua can’t beat Fury by standing off. That’s not his game. Fury will box his head off. So Joshua will go looking for the stoppage, which is why we’ll all be watching.**Follow Barry on X at @‌ClonesCyclone @mcguigan’s_GymBarry McGuiganNumber one for boxingChoose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌Tyson FuryAnthony JoshuaAnthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury