Tyson Fury Says Joshua or Usyk Choice Doesn’t Matter

Heavyweight star dismisses opponent preference and record talk

Tyson Fury made it clear he isn’t chasing a specific name next, saying a fight with either Anthony Joshua or Oleksandr Usyk holds no special weight for him at this stage.

Fury is preparing to face Arslanbek Makhmudov this weekend, but questions about what comes next quickly turned to the familiar options of Joshua or Usyk. His answer was blunt and without hesitation.

“It doesn’t matter. Just whoever, really,” Fury said to Queensberry when asked which opponent he would prefer.

The response fits with a wider theme in Fury’s comments, where he downplayed the importance of adding wins or targeting specific names to strengthen his record. He made it clear that chasing big-name victories no longer drives him.

History says take his “I don’t care” comments with a massive grain of salt. While Fury loves to play the part of the indifferent warrior who just fights for the “fun of it,” his actions usually align with the biggest possible check or the most significant legacy play.

Even after his two losses to Usyk in 2024, a fight with Anthony Joshua remains the biggest financial event in British boxing history. The recent reports leading into this weekend suggest that if he clears the hurdle against Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday, the Joshua fight is exactly what his team is looking to finalize for later this year.

Saying “it doesn’t matter” is likely just a way to keep the pressure off himself while he deals with a dangerous knockout artist like Makhmudov.

“It’s not about the wins on the record. Give me 10 more wins. What’s that going to do? Nothing,” Fury said.

This sounds exactly like the “Gypsy King” we’ve known for a decade: a mix of genuine burnout and tactical posturing. At 37, Fury’s chances at being the “undisputed, undefeated” king of this era is gone. In his mind, he’s already climbed the mountain by beating Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder.

Adding wins against middle-tier guys like Makhmudov doesn’t polish a legacy that already has a few permanent dents in it.

He claims he doesn’t care about the record, yet he’s headlining a massive Netflix card this weekend. If it truly didn’t matter, he wouldn’t be pushing so hard for the Anthony Joshua fight to happen by the end of 2026. He knows that while “10 more wins” might not matter, that specific win over AJ is the only thing that could partially restore his standing as the top dog in Britain.