Johnny Nelson: "Remember My Words: Fury and Joshua Will Retire Next Year"

Former world champion and now commentator and expert Johnny Nelson shared his thoughts on a potential fight between British heavyweight boxers Tyson Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs) and Anthony Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs).

"I see the headlines about Anthony Joshua. I know Frank Warren and Tyson himself said they won the fight against Usyk, but they know that's not true. They’re talking about a fight with AJ, and that’s a big fight everyone wants to see.

Like AJ, Tyson is just in a bad place right now. He will feel beaten down, demoralized, and frustrated. If you truly believe you are the best and a world-class fighter, but then reality hits you hard, it’s tough to deal with. Tyson is a very rich man, but boxing is like a drug we all need. And when your confidence is shattered, where do you find motivation? It’s very hard to live only off money when you lose what inspires you.

One night won’t change everything for them right away; it will matter for the next generations. Right now, they need to find the motivation to say, 'I can do this.' Maybe Tyson and AJ will gather themselves for one more fight against each other, but remember my words: next year, both will retire. They’ll step away from the game," said Nelson.

In September, Anthony Joshua lost by knockout to IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs). Tyson Fury lost by decision twice in 2024 to Oleksandr Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs), the holder of the WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles.