Such a big fight, such massive questions.

Upon Tyson Fury’s comeback announcement and the tragedy of Anthony Joshua losing two close confidants in the crash of a vehicle Joshua occupied, it’s unknown whether the British two-time heavyweight champions will ever stage a showdown.

The deaths of Joshua’s close friend and conditioning coach, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, have understandably shattered the Olympic gold medalist, who was coming off December’s lucrative knockout of Jake Paul and positioned for a tune-up bout before heading to Fury later in 2026.

Fury, 34-2-1 (24 KOs), was shown in video footage working out in a Thailand gym, flashing some of the skills that carried him to victories over the likes of Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder. He then formally announced he was coming back, mentioning new WBO titleholder Fabio Wardley as a possible next opponent.

While agreeing that the greatest unknown is whether Joshua, 29-4 (26 KOs), wants to fight again, “BoxingScene Today” analysts Chris Algieri and Paulie Malignaggi said Monday on ProBox TV that Fury, 37, and Joshua, 36, could go straight to a fight without a tune-up. 

“I would say definitely don’t do a tune-up. For A.J., Jake Paul was his tune-up. As for Tyson Fury, the man is crazy like a fox … I’d rather him go right to it,” Algieri said.

The reasoning is two-pronged. Fury, who’s been off since a unanimous decision loss in December 2024 to current three-belt champion Oleksandr Usyk, came back from a far longer layoff that included a bout with drug and alcohol abuse and being massively overweight, to fight Wilder to a 2018 draw before convincingly defeating Wilder twice.

In between the first and second Wilder fights, Fury took a tune-up against Otto Wallin and nearly lost, suffering a nasty cut above his eye that required 47 stitches.

“And [training] camps are hard. Camps beat up the body,” Algieri said. “I don’t think they need to sharpen up [beyond training].”

Malignaggi assesses that Fury smartly invoked “retirement” talk following his second Usyk loss, stoking interest in a comeback and a chance to produce the Joshua bout that has somehow remained elusive despite the pair’s rivalry.

Saudi Arabia officials have said the bout – if it happens – will be sponsored by Riyadh Season, but it’s unfinalized as to whether that means the bout will land in the Middle East or a venue at a U.K. soccer stadium.

“[Fury] knows his value … [his] return …there’s things you get out of that,” Malignaggi said. “A piece of me believes you need that [tune-up] fight, but [Wallin shows] you can get hurt.” 

If Joshua is not an option this year, both analysts agreed Fury would be better served to seek Wardley more than a third fight with Usyk.

“Wardley has earned it,” Malignaggi said.

“I don’t want to see that [Usyk] fight. The more time you spend in the ring with Usyk, the wider the gap gets,” Algieri said.

As for Joshua, Algieri shed insight on the depth of Joshua’s human losses.

“You spend every day with these people. If he never fights again, I wouldn’t knock him,” Algieri said. “But if he fights for them, he can get a lot of drive from that.”

The first thing to learn is the extent of any injuries Joshua suffered in the crash in Nigeria, where he was seen moving in great pain out of the torn-up vehicle.

“The internal organs, joints, the brain – all these things can break down. We have to see how his body can be repaired,” Algieri said.

The mental toll is also something to watch.

“If the physical part isn’t there, he won’t fight,” Malignaggi said. “The mental part of it … the rest of your life is changed. It bothers me to think about that. These people lighten your mood. You need them. Now, they’re gone. I don’t know, man. The psychological impact is the worst, and he might not be able to get over that.”

Deciding to fight Fury following the losses of these “unspoken bonds” means Joshua will have found peace with it “as much as someone can,” Algieri said. “If A.J. were to fight, it’s that, ‘I’m laser-focused because of this” tragedy.

“Boxing is the only time he doesn’t have to think about anything else,” said Malignaggi. “This may be his only escape from this inner bother.”