Tyson Fury could take an interim bout before facing Anthony Joshua, but promoter Frank Warren has warned that the long-anticipated heavyweight showdown will collapse if Joshua loses his scheduled fight in July.

Joshua, 36, is set to face Albanian fighter Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia on 25 July as a precursor to a proposed clash with Fury later this year. Both Fury and Joshua, two-time world champions, have already agreed terms for a bout, though its staging remains dependent on Joshua’s result.

Warren made clear the stakes surrounding Joshua’s upcoming contest. “If he loses to this guy, it kills the fight,” Warren said, according to BBC Sport.

The Queensberry Promotions head added that Fury, 37, may look to stay active rather than wait for the proposed bout, citing the champion’s preference for regular competition. “Tyson wants to keep busy. That’s the mentality he has. When he’s in the gym, he goes to the gym for his mental wellbeing, as well as physically,” Warren said.

The timeline for a Fury-Joshua fight remains fluid, with Warren suggesting a date of “late October” at the earliest, while also noting that Fury may take another fight beforehand. He also indicated that the bout could mark the end of the road for one or both fighters. “Tyson has made it very plain he’d like to fight Usyk again, so maybe that could be an option,” Warren added.

Fury returned to the ring in April with a points win over Arslanbek Makhmudov following a 15-month absence, while discussions continue over the location of a potential fight with Joshua, with Saudi Arabia and Wembley Stadium both under consideration.