Tyson Fury says he will weigh 280lbs for Anthony Joshua fight in Cardiff

Tyson Fury has revealed he plans to weigh around 280lbs for his long-awaited fight with Anthony Joshua on December 11 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. The former two-time heavyweight champion posted the target on social media on Monday, November 2, and BoxingScene, the Mirror and The Sun all reported it the same day.

"Big boy 280lbs incoming," Fury wrote. "Not your average build. However, the love handles are used for energy."

Heavier than his comebacks

The target would make Fury noticeably bigger than he was in his two fights this year. According to BoxingScene, he weighed 268lbs for his April comeback win over Arslanbek Makhmudov and came in about three and a half pounds lighter when he beat Mariusz Wach in July. The Sun and the Mirror put his weight for the untelevised Wach fight in Thailand at 265lbs.

At 280lbs, Fury would be one pound below his career-heaviest weight. He weighed 281lbs for his December 2024 rematch with Oleksandr Usyk, which he lost on points. BoxingScene notes that his weight has swung a lot over his career. He was as light as 245lbs for his 2012 fights against Martin Rogan and Vinny Maddalone.

A big size advantage over Joshua

Joshua weighed 251lbs for his July win over Kristian Prenga, when he was dropped twice in the first round before stopping Prenga in the second. If both men weigh in close to those numbers, Fury would have about 29lbs on him, along with a three-inch height edge (6ft 9in against 6ft 6in). Combat Sports UK and The Sun point out that Joshua's own heaviest weight is about 255lbs, from his April 2023 fight with Jermaine Franklin, and that he may come in heavier given the size of his opponent.

The Wilder rematch blueprint, and the Usyk warning

The plan fits with what Fury said at the September 30 press conference in London, where he promised to start fast and finish Joshua early.

"I'll make it a quick KO, so you can get back to your business work, being a landlord and stuff," Fury told Joshua at the time, per BoxingScene. "I'll make it very fast, and I'll make it pain-free for you and your team."

BoxingScene compared the move to Fury's February 2020 rematch with Deontay Wilder. Fury came in at 273lbs for that fight, almost 20lbs heavier than for their first meeting. Some observers worried he had not trained properly, but he stopped Wilder in the seventh round to win the WBC title.

The Mirror points to the other side of the story. Fury also bulked up for the Usyk rematch, and Usyk outpointed him again. Former three-weight world champion Duke McKenzie said at the time that the extra weight would make Fury "slower" and "more predictable".

The fight

Fury (36-2-1, 25 KOs) and Joshua (30-4, 27 KOs) will finally settle a rivalry that has lasted about a decade when they meet in Cardiff. The fight will be shown live on Netflix, and GiveMeSport reports that the WBA "super" heavyweight title is on the line. Fury's only defeats are the two decisions against Usyk in 2024, and he has never been stopped. Joshua has been stopped twice, by Andy Ruiz Jr. in 2019 and Daniel Dubois in 2024.

Official weights will only be known at the weigh-in before the fight. For now, 280lbs is Fury's stated target, not a confirmed number.