Former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has officially announced his return to the ring, revealing plans to fight in Dublin, Ireland on August 1.

The 37-year-old “Gypsy King” confirmed the news on Tuesday via an Instagram story showing him back in training in Thailand, alongside a caption that read:

“Let’s go, August 1, Dublin, Ireland.”

The surprise announcement positions Fury to fight just one week after his long-time British rival, Anthony Joshua, makes his own highly anticipated comeback in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on July 25.

Both fighters are on a direct collision course for a historic, multi-million-pound showdown mooted for November, with both camps utilizing these summer bouts as crucial warm-up fights.

Slotting into the Dublin Card

Fury is set to be added to a card already established by his promoter, Frank Warren, at the 3Arena in the Irish capital. The event is currently scheduled to be topped by a junior welterweight clash between Pierce O’Leary and Mark Chamberlain.

While Fury’s official opponent has yet to be revealed, Warren has confirmed the match-up will feature a “good heavyweight,” though he has completely ruled out the prospect of Fury taking on former unified champion Andy Ruiz Jr.

The August bout will mark Fury’s second outing of 2026 as he continues his comeback trail following back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk in 2024.

The heavyweight star previously ended a 16-month retirement in April, securing a wide, 12-round points victory over Russia’s Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

A Decade-Long Rivalry Ignites

Fury had initially hoped his victory over Makhmudov would lead directly to a clash with Joshua. Joshua was present at ringside for that fight, prompting Fury to immediately call him out from the center of the ring.

Rather than stepping into the ring to ignite the build-up for a contest that has been over a decade in the making, Joshua refused to leave his ringside seat. A heated verbal exchange ensued, with Joshua taunting his rival.

“I’m the landlord, remember that. You work for me,” Joshua declared.

Joshua’s summer warm-up on July 25 will see him take on unfancied Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga in Riyadh.

It will mark Joshua’s first time back in the squared circle since being involved in a tragic car crash in Nigeria last December, which claimed the lives of two of his closest friends.

Despite the temporary detour for both men, contracts for the blockbuster domestic showdown appear finalized. Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, confidently confirmed the status of the winter mega-fight, stating:

“Signed, sealed, delivered! AJ v Fury is on.”