LONDON: Anthony Joshua has his eyes on a future showdown with Tyson Fury after winning the IBF world heavyweight title on Saturday with a sensational second-round knockout of outclassed American rival Charles Martin.
British Olympic champion Joshua, 26, said a bout with Fury was now inevitable but it won’t happen just yet as he is being lined up by promoter Eddie Hearn for a first title defense at Wembley on July 9, the same night rival world heavyweight champion Fury is due to meet Wladimir Klitschko.
Joshua floored American Martin twice with right hands to the jaw in a win that earned him the International Boxing Federation title in front of 20,000 fans at the O2 Arena in London.
Martin, who was making a first defense, was blown away three months after he won the title and became Joshua’s 16th stoppage victim from as many professional fights.
Joshua, who made his professional debut in October 2013 after winning Olympic super-heavyweight gold at London 2012, has exchanged insults with British rival Fury on social media and there is already a clamour in the UK for the pair to meet.
As well as Fury, former World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight champion David Haye is also making it known he wants to fight Joshua in the future.
American Deontay Wilder, 30, who defends his WBC title against Russian Alexander Povetkin in Moscow on May 21, is the other world champion along with Joshua and Fury.
“Me, Tyson Fury and David Haye we have to fight,” Joshua told a news conference.
“We can’t get through this whole era without fighting, we will get it on at the right time. It’s just bound to happen at some stage.
“I’m a fighting man. I will fight anyone — Wilder, Fury, Haye. It’s just a fight for me, no problem.”
Fury, 27, must first prevail against Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko in a rematch in Manchester on July 9 before thinking about meeting Joshua.
Of Joshua’s first title defense, Hearn said: “It was always going to be July 9.
“We’ll have to take a look at the top 15 of the IBF heavyweight rankings, a lot of the guys are taken up.
“If he’s ready, I don’t see why we can’t get back early July. That’s the plan.”
Hearn believes Fury or Haye are still two or three fights away for Joshua.
“I’m not saying Haye and Fury are next but they are certainly on the radar and pressure will be on us after a defense or two,” said Hearn.
Joshua, meanwhile, insists he will never get complacent as champion after beating Martin, who won the vacant IBF belt after Ukrainian Vyacheslav Glazkov injured a knee in the third round in January.
“I just feel a bit hungrier,” Joshua said.
“Getting there is one thing but maintaining it will be harder so I have to be a bit more disciplined.
“The attention, the building, the micromanagement, I’m diligent and I’m not going to let all those people down.
“Probably when I retire I will be happy but I’ve got to put this behind me now. In training I’ve developed a different level of stamina. A new man was born.”
Joshua eyes Fury after taking IBF title
Joshua eyes Fury after taking IBF title
‘Winning mindset’: Yazeed Al-Rajhi ready to defend title at Dakar 2026
- Race runs from Jan. 3-17, will start and conclude in Yanbu
YANBU: Saudi rally star Yazeed Al-Rajhi is gearing up to defend his Dakar Rally title as the 2026 edition of the race kicks off in Yanbu on Jan. 3.
Last year’s victory confirmed Al-Rajhi as the first Saudi driver to win the overall car category (Ultimate), the highest class in what is considered the world’s toughest rally.
Al-Rajhi said: “We are approaching Dakar 2026 with great determination and an even greater sense of responsibility after our achievement in 2025. Winning the title was a historic moment, but the real challenge now is defending it. The car is fully ready, the team is working as one, and our objective from the start is clear: to fight for victory and secure a strong opening to the W2RC season.”
He highlighted the complete readiness of co-driver Timo Gottschalk as the team looks to repeat last year’s success in their Overdrive Toyota Hilux.
Gottschalk said: “The preparation for this season has been intense and extremely precise. We focused on every aspect Dakar demands in terms of concentration and discipline. Our synergy is at its best, and we are ready to manage the rally stage by stage, intending to fight for victory from day one.”
The Dakar Rally 2026, set to run from Jan. 3-17, will cover 7,994 km, with 4,840 km of timed stages across Saudi Arabia’s diverse landscapes. It will consist of 13 competitive stages, in addition to a prologue stage, with a rest day in the capital city. The rally will start and conclude in Yanbu, featuring seven loop stages and two marathon stages, which significantly increase the level of difficulty and place greater physical and technical demands on crews and teams.
Al-Rajhi has also expressed his desire to compete for the title of the World Rally-Raid Championship W2RC. Since the championship’s launch in 2022, he has finished runner-up twice and third overall once, highlighting his consistency at the highest level. The Saudi star said that his clear objective this season is to claim the W2RC title, with Dakar serving as the opening round of the championship.
Al-Rajhi acknowledged that competition this year will be extremely intense, but added that the goal has been clear from the outset: to defend the Dakar title and move forward steadily toward winning the World Rally-Raid Championship.
“Early preparation and attention to the smallest technical and physical details give us strong confidence heading into the rally,” he added. “We know the competition will be tough, but we enter Dakar with a winning mindset, aiming to deliver a complete season that reflects the name of Saudi Arabia and matches our global ambitions.”
Al-Rajhi extended his sincere gratitude and appreciation to Jameel Motorsport, his official partner, for their unwavering support. He credited their backing as one of the key pillars behind his continued success and achievements in the Kingdom.
