Tyson Fury defeats Mariusz Wach, eyes Anthony Joshua showdown

By Fatima Yusuf — 24 July 2026 — 3 min read

Tyson Fury secured a victory against Mariusz Wach in Thailand, moving closer to a potential heavyweight fight with Anthony Joshua. The bout took place at the Max Muay Thai Stadium in Pattaya, with Fury dominating for seven rounds before Wach retired at the start of the eighth.

Fury’s win was his 36th career victory. He stated, “I went through my test tonight. Let’s see if he can get through his.” Joshua is scheduled for his own comeback fight against Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

Fury’s low-key victory

The fight against Wach was not broadcast live on television or radio. Instead, it will be featured as part of the third series of the reality show ‘At Home With The Furys’. The event saw a limited audience, with no more than 1,500 fans in attendance.

During the fight, Fury, 37, controlled the early rounds. Reports from the venue indicated that Wach, 46, was caught with a right hand in the second round. Fury dictated the pace, landing uppercuts in the fifth round. Wach’s corner withdrew him before the eighth round, giving Fury his first stoppage victory since 2022.

Fury noted that ticket profits from the event would be donated to a local charity supporting disadvantaged children and students with disabilities.

Anticipation for Joshua fight

Following his win, Fury addressed the anticipated fight with Joshua. He mentioned that he would not be travelling to Jeddah for Joshua’s upcoming bout, stating he was going home to his wife and children to “regroup and hopefully we’ll have a big fight signed next week.”

Questions remain regarding the location of an all-British bout between Fury and Joshua. While Eddie Hearn indicated Joshua’s contract specifies the UK, other reports suggest a venue in America. Fury commented on the uncertainty of the location, saying, “Who knows? It could be in Vegas, New York, Ireland, London. Who knows where the fight’s going to be?”

Joshua’s fight against Prenga in Jeddah will be his first professional fight since a car crash in Nigeria in December, which resulted in the deaths of two of his close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele. His last competitive appearance was a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium.

The evolving landscape of boxing broadcasts

The potential Fury versus Joshua fight is expected to be featured on Netflix, a platform that has gained prominence in boxing and combat sports. Netflix has a global subscriber base exceeding 325 million.

The platform’s previous boxing events include Jake Paul facing Mike Tyson in November 2024, which attracted an estimated 125 million global viewers. Another event, featuring Katie Taylor’s victory over Amanda Serrano, drew an estimated 74 million live viewers worldwide. More recently, Terence Crawford’s win over Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez garnered an estimated 41.4 million viewers, and Joshua’s December fight with Paul brought in 33 million.

Netflix has also expanded into MMA, with Ronda Rousey’s fight against Gina Carano reportedly peaking at 17 million viewers worldwide. The decision to feature Fury’s recent heavyweight bout as part of a reality series, rather than a live broadcast, highlights the changing landscape of boxing and the growing influence of streaming platforms in the sport.

Traditionally, major fights were centered around live broadcasts and shared viewing experiences. However, the current focus also includes the broader narrative surrounding the event and behind-the-scenes content. Fury’s victory over Wach was his second win in as many contests this year.

Source: bbc.com