Tyson Fury moved closer to a potential heavyweight showdown with fellow Briton Anthony Joshua after securing a technical knockout victory over Poland’s Mariusz Wach on Friday. The fight took place in Pattaya, Thailand, before an audience of approximately 1,500 spectators. Fury, 37, dominated the bout until Wach, 46, was pulled out by his corner in the seventh round.

This victory marked Fury’s second win this year following a 16-month hiatus from professional competition. The result puts the spotlight on Joshua, 36, who is scheduled to fight Albania’s Kristian Prenga on Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A win for Joshua could set the stage for the anticipated match-up between the two British former two-time heavyweight champions.

Fury expressed cautious optimism about the potential fight with Joshua, stating he was “not convinced” that Joshua would agree to face him in the ring. He recalled that Joshua had not “had the guts” to fight him before and said he hopes the deal for their bout could be finalized soon. Fury also dismissed speculation that he would travel to Jeddah for Joshua’s fight, indicating instead that he planned to return home to his family.

Joshua’s upcoming fight against Prenga represents his first professional return since a car accident in Nigeria last December that resulted in the deaths of two close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele. Joshua’s most recent competitive bout was a knockout loss to IBF world champion Daniel Dubois at London’s Wembley Stadium in September 2024. Fans and industry observers alike are awaiting the outcome of Joshua’s next fight, which could pave the way for one of the most anticipated heavyweight clashes in recent years.