PLANS for Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua to finally throw down next year went up in smoke last weekend.
The Gypsy King came up short in his bid to become undisputed heavyweight champion in his Saudi showdown with Oleksandr Usyk, suffering a split decision defeat.
Fury’s long-time Brit rival was ringside to see him suffer the first defeat of his professional career, which has laid waste to grand plans for them to duke it out in a spring slugfest.
Saudi boxing kingpin Turki Alalashikh had plans in place for the duo to trade heavyweight leather next March, provided Fury won both his fights with the Ukrainian.
But a win for Fury in their October rematch will tee up a mouthwatering trilogy fight, which will likely take place in March 2025.
SunSport understands Alalshikh was targeting Fury vs Joshua for the end of March 2025.
But it will be pushed back into later in the year should a rubber match between the duo come to fruition.
The long-time rivals could, however, end up fighting THIS YEAR.
The biggest fight in the history of British boxing could materialise if Fury opts against exercising his rematch clause.
Despite initially hellbent on exacting his revenge, Fury is seemingly non-committal over a rematch with the slick southpaw.
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And co-promoter promoter Frank Warren has admitted there is a chance the Brit doesn’t share the ring with the two-weight champion again.
He told SecondsOut: “We are committed because there’s a contract signed.
“However, Tyson’s got to want to do it and Usyk has got to want to do it.
“If one of them says, I’ve had enough’ that could be the case. And that would be their choice.
“‘They’re two guys who gave everything in that ring, both of them.”
The Queensberry Promotions chief added: “He did immediately say [he’d take the rematch] in the ring.
‘But I told him he’s been away from his family since last December, two back-to-back training camps, no fight in between, it’s a long time to be away from his family.
‘We don’t have to make any decisions about anything. It’s contracted, and if he wants to go through with it he’ll go through with it.
“‘But who is anybody to pressure Tyson on what he should be doing. That’s his choice.
“He’s the guy getting in the ring, he’s the guy who’s taking the lumps and that’s how it is.”