Fury vs Joshua Set for 2021; Gypsy King’s Odds Improve to -200

• Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have  agreed “in principle” to a two-fight deal for the next calendar year
• The first fight likely won’t take place until 2021
• What were the odds, what are the odds, and how do things progress closer to bell time?

Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua has finally been arranged, according to Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn. Earlier today, Hearn stated, “It’s fair to say that, in principle, both guys have agreed to that fight. Two fights.”

The long-awaited heavyweight title fight features two British boxers in a bout with serious implications. It won’t just decide the undisputed heavyweight world champion, it will also go a long way in determining who the most accomplished heavyweight of this era. There has not been a unified heavyweight world champion for over two decades. Fans have been salivating for a fight like this for too long.

Odds on the fight were first posted long before it was actually scheduled. Now that it has come to fruition, the odds are moving in favor of Fury.

Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua Odds

Odds as of June 10th.

Back in February, Fury was initially favored at -150 to Joshua’s +130.  While he has shortened to -200 as of today, there’s a good chance that the odds will look quite different when they actually step into the ring.

As much as people are talking about Fury vs Joshua, Deontay Wilder is still very much part of the equation here. In fact, it looks like Fury is aiming to have a trilogy fight with “the Bronze Bomber” before his series of Joshua fights in 2021.

It’s official FURY VS JOSUAR AGREED FOR NEXT YEAR, I got to smash @bronzebomber first then I’ll annihilate @anthonyfjoshua #WEARESPARTANS

MASSIVE THANKS TO DANIEL KINNERHAN FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN.🙏🏻👍🏻 god bless pic.twitter.com/18FfVKfCax

— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) June 10, 2020

The Wilder vs Fury trilogy was supposed to go down in July but coronavirus dismantled those plans. The new timeline for the third bout is later in 2020.

Joshua is in a similar situation to Fury. Joshua must take on mandatory contender Kubrat Pulev before getting his shot at the “Gypsy King”. The Pulev versus Joshua fight was slated for June 20 but, much like, Fury-Wilder III, COVID-19 scrapped those plans.

Once both of those fights take place, the focus can be completely allocated on Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua.

British Boxing Blockbuster

Fury is the lineal heavyweight champion as well as the WBC world champ. Joshua is the reigning WBO, WBA, and IBF heavyweight champion. AJ had previously dropped those belts to Andy Ruiz but regained them in the rematch. This fits the definition of a prizefight more than any other bout you can book in modern boxing. The winner emerges with every significant world title belt in the weight class and galvanizes his legacy forever.

Big business has hindered matchmaking in recent boxing history. The financial dynamics finally began to make sense for both sides, though. Now fans and pundits alike are finally getting what they want.

Sources: Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have an agreement in principle for a two-fight deal with a 50-50 financial split in the first bout; 60-40 in favor of the winner in rematch. Both fights must take place in 2021. Fury’s advisor, Daniel Kinahan, and Eddie Hearn negotiated pact

— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) June 10, 2020

As far as how the odds will shift going forward, I can see them going even more in Fury’s favor. He has certainly had the better quality performances recently. Fury put on an absolute masterclass en route to emphatically finishing the previously unbeaten Wilder back in February.

Conversely, Joshua was stopped by the unheralded Andy Ruiz in June 2019. The rematch saw AJ work a technical gameplan, but one that was designed to mitigate risk and ensure the W. Few onlookers were impressed with his performance.

Fury’s resume is objectively better than Joshua’s. Also on a stylistic level, I can’t see Joshua’s skills giving Fury much of an issue considering his fight methodology.