The circumstances that could lead to the long-awaited meeting of Fury and Joshua this year

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are without doubt the top two British boxers in the sport, and they have been for the best part of a decade now.

The pair have regularly been rumoured to meet in the ring for a proposed fight, often dubbed 'the fight of the century'. However, they have yet to cross paths, but maybe they could this year, if Fury is to take on one more fight after facing Oleksandr Usyk.

Joshua must defeat Francis Ngannou

It may be too late for Joshua to truly earn a fight against the Gypsy King after his relative fall-off in recent years, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. The Watford-born fighter suffered the biggest blows to his legacy in 2021 and 2022 when he lost back-to-back bouts against Usyk.

Ever since, he has been attempting to rebuild his career and reputation. He is on a streak of three consecutive wins in the ring, and he can make it four against Francis Ngannou in March.

Many betting sites offer the Englishman as a clear favourite against the Cameroonian. For example, a bet with William Hill on the upcoming fight would offer Joshua at 1/4 to claim what should be a routine victory.

Shoryuken pic.twitter.com/mqr0CR2f15

— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) January 23, 2024

The expected victory of Joshua over Ngannou in March could award the Englishman a glimmer of hope when it comes to securing his dream fight against Fury.

Ngannou caused many problems for Fury in his debut boxing fight in Saudi Arabia last October. The former UFC fighter inflicted a knockdown but ultimately lost out to the Gypsy King on a points decision.

If Joshua can get past the man who was agonisingly close to beating Fury, there will be an argument that he deserves a shot at toppling the world champion before he hangs up his gloves.

However, Fury will likely have to do his part in brushing Usyk aside in February, if there is to be any chance of the highly-demanded fight taking place.

Fury could take one last fight if he defeats Usyk

If Fury becomes the undisputed champion of the world against Usyk, he could take on Joshua in one final fight to complete a clean sweep of the great boxers of his generation. The Manchester-born boxer is a narrow 4/5 favourite to first get over the line against the Ukrainian.

pic.twitter.com/Gs4LeLCrNw

— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) September 29, 2023

Nobody would deny Fury of his right to be called the greatest heavyweight in the world - maybe even of all time - if he were to defeat Usyk. However, he may feel it fitting to take on the man who has long been deemed as his toughest opponent.

Every year, one of the most wanted fights in professional boxing is the meeting of Fury and Joshua. If the pair win their opening fights of 2024, then the jigsaw pieces could well fall into place for the greatest British fight ever to take place.

Many have tipped the winners of the two bouts to face-off later this year, and the favourites are the two British men. Could Fury vs Joshua finally arrive with the biggest stakes imaginable?

The Gypsy King could mark one final ring walk with the opportunity to crown the greatest boxing career of all time. Joshua would finally get his dream fight and it would come with a slim chance of finally avenging his past shortcomings. Fury vs Joshua really could finally happen in 2024, although many would argue it has come way too late.