British-Nigerian heavyweight Anthony Joshua says he is ready to come face-to-face with Tyson Fury in the ring after his July 25 comeback fight provided he overcomes Albanian opponent Kristian Prenga in Jeddah. .
Fury returned from a 16-month retirement in April with a victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Joshua watched from ringside. Despite speculation, Joshua declined to participate in a staged face-off, insisting that a fight between the two had yet to be finalised.
Joshua has since signed for his own return bout against Prenga, who brings a 20-1 professional record into the contest.
Fury is scheduled to fight 46-year-old Polish veteran Mariusz Wach in a tune-up bout in Thailand on July 24 before travelling to Saudi Arabia to watch Joshua in action. The move is expected to set the stage for the long-awaited all-British heavyweight showdown.
“If he wants to come into the ring when I win on July 25, he is welcome,” Joshua told DAZN.
“Come into my territory. I am the landlord. I am going to welcome you into my home. You do not welcome me into your home.
“I have been in that position before where I have signed contracts with Fury, so I did not play into the games. I was there on a scouting mission. I wanted to see what my future opponent was going to look like, and I saw a lot. I saw some good things and I also saw some vulnerabilities.”
Joshua, 36, and Fury, 37, are yet to agree on a date or venue for their long-awaited domestic clash, although discussions are progressing.
Las Vegas and New York have emerged as possible alternatives to a United Kingdom venue, while Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh, who is backing the fight, remains open to staging the bout in Saudi Arabia, provided it begins later in the evening to suit the American television audience.
Hosting the contest in London is currently complicated by licensing requirements for an event of that scale, while Cardiff's Principality Stadium is also not considered a viable option under the present circumstances.
