The Time is The Issue for Joshua/Fury Match at Wembly

The long-awaited heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury appears to be edging closer, with Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh revealing he wants the all-British blockbuster to take place at Wembley Stadium later this year—provided logistical hurdles can be overcome.

After years of failed negotiations, promotional disputes and title obligations, Joshua and Fury have finally agreed to face one another. Before that showdown can become reality, however, both former heavyweight champions must first navigate separate tune-up fights later this month.

Fury will be the first to step into the ring when he faces veteran Polish heavyweight Mariusz Wach on July 24 in Pattaya, Thailand. The bout marks another step in Fury's comeback following his return from retirement earlier this year. After suffering consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, the former WBC heavyweight champion briefly walked away from the sport before returning with a convincing points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov in April.

While Wach brings considerable experience, having shared the ring with elite heavyweights including Wladimir Klitschko, he is widely viewed as an opponent designed to help Fury sharpen his timing ahead of a much bigger assignment later this year. Fury has described 2026 as a landmark year in his career and views the Wach fight as the beginning of an important second chapter.

Just one day later, Joshua returns to action in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he will face unbeaten Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga. It will be Joshua's first appearance since knocking out Jake Paul at the end of 2025.

Joshua's road back has been anything but straightforward. Shortly after defeating Paul, he survived a devastating car accident while traveling in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif "Latz" Ayodele. Although Joshua sustained injuries in the crash, he has recovered and now hopes to rebuild momentum before finally sharing the ring with his longtime rival.

Neither Wach nor Prenga is expected to seriously threaten Fury or Joshua, but both contests serve an important purpose. The former champions need rounds, activity and confidence before stepping into one of the most anticipated heavyweight fights in British boxing history.

Attention has now turned to where that historic encounter will take place.

Although many expected the fight to be staged in Saudi Arabia or even the United States, Alalshikh says his preference remains Wembley Stadium in London. The biggest obstacle, however, is the venue's strict curfew, which could complicate television scheduling for international audiences, particularly in the United States.

Speaking to reporters, Alalshikh explained why no venue has been finalized.

"We have also [Anthony] Joshua and Tyson Fury this year. We don't choose the place until now," he said.

"It depends on if England gives us all what we need. We want the fight here in England but we want the time zone of all the world, especially in America. If they allow us to have Wembley late in the night, we want to do it in England."

Wembley typically requires events to conclude by 10:30 p.m., with only limited flexibility for later finishes. For a global pay-per-view event expected to attract a massive American audience, organizers would prefer a later ring walk to maximize television revenue.

Assuming both Fury and Joshua take care of business in their July warm-up bouts, a November showdown at Wembley remains the preferred outcome. After more than a decade of anticipation, boxing fans may finally get the heavyweight collision they have waited years to see—if the venue and broadcast logistics can be aligned.