Tyson Fury to face Mariusz Wach in Pattaya on July 24

Tyson Fury will return to the ring against Mariusz Wach on Friday, 24 July at the Max Muay Thai Stadium in Pattaya, Thailand, in a keep-busy heavyweight bout ahead of his planned fight with Anthony Joshua later this year.

The fight will be promoted by Spencer Brown’s Goldstar Promotions and Frank Warren’s Queensberry, ending a spell of speculation over where Fury would box next and under which promotional banner. Ticket profits from the event are to be donated to local charities across Pattaya, and the WBC will be involved in the night through a commemorative humanitarian presentation.

Fury, 35-2-1 (24 KOs), returned from retirement in April with a wide points win over Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, his first fight since consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk in 2024. The first of those losses came in the undisputed heavyweight championship fight, and the Wach bout now forms part of a short turnaround before the long-discussed Joshua fight, provided both British heavyweights come through their interim assignments.

Joshua is also due to box before that proposed meeting, with Kristian Prenga lined up for him in Saudi Arabia the day after on July 25. Brown made clear that Fury’s Pattaya appearance is being treated as part of the Joshua build-up, saying, “When Tyson told me his plans for this fight, it didn’t surprise me. I’ve always said Tyson has the biggest heart in boxing and what he is doing for the people of Pattaya is a true reflection of his character. But make no mistake, this fight is serious preparation for his fight with Anthony Joshua and we cannot afford any slip ups at this stage. So, Tyson will be ready and I fully expect him to build on his performance at Tottenham Stadium last April”.

Wach, 39-13 (20 KOs), brings name recognition and size, but the 46-year-old Pole is far removed from his period as a heavyweight contender. He challenged Wladimir Klitschko for the unified heavyweight title in 2012 and went the distance in his first defeat, but he has since settled into the role of experienced opponent, losing to Dillian Whyte, Hughie Fury and Frazer Clarke, before being stopped inside two rounds by Moses Itauma in July 2024. He has lost seven of his last 10 fights and has not boxed since a unanimous decision defeat to Viktor Vykhryst in March.

Wach confirmed after Hysa talks

The announcement also clarifies the opponent situation after Nelson Hysa emerged as a possible name for Fury’s return. Hysa confirmed that his team had been in discussions with Fury’s side over a potential fight, and Fury also confirmed to IFL that Hysa was among the names being considered.

There had also been talk that Fury’s keep-busy fight could land on Queensberry’s 1 August show in Dublin. Instead, the contest has been taken to Thailand, where Fury has been training in recent months, with the Max Muay Thai Stadium staging an unusual heavyweight event in a country more closely associated with Muay Thai and the lower boxing divisions.

Zuffa speculation fades

Fury’s appearance at the UFC White House event prompted speculation among fans that he could leave long-time promoter Warren and link up with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing. White later said at a press conference that an announcement would be made soon regarding a potential Fury deal, but nothing came of it, and Fury then stated on social media that Turki Alalshikh would promote him for the remainder of his career. Despite reports elsewhere of a Netflix broadcast, no official broadcaster has been announced for Fury-Wach.

Fury said the Pattaya event carries significance beyond the fight itself, stating, “2026 is a landmark year for me in boxing and I’m excited to be able to bring this event to Pattaya, a part of the world that is special to me. We’re coming together to put on a great show for the fans, while using the opportunity to give back the local community, who have been so good to me every time I have visited. At the same time, I’m fully focused on preparing for a tough opponent and making sure I’m the best version of Tyson Fury going into fight night. It’s the start of a huge second half of the year for me.”

The WBC said it would present Fury with the inaugural WBC Humanitarian Title in recognition of the charitable element of the event. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said, “The WBC is extremely proud and excited about the boxing match that our proud champion Tyson Fury will hold in Pattaya, Thailand on July 24th with the money generated to be destined to charity. The WBC is creating a unique commemorative belt to be awarded to the winner and join this memorable humanitarian event.”

Warren welcomed Fury’s return, saying, “Boxing is a better place with Tyson Fury in it, so it’s fantastic to have him back in action on Friday 24th July. Tyson is in great shape and completely focused on putting on a show against Mariusz Wach. He’s a true global superstar and I’ve no doubt the fans will pack the place out in Thailand to watch a vintage performance from the Gypsy King.”

If Fury handles Wach without disruption, attention will move quickly to Joshua’s own tune-up and the final promotional details for the massive all-British heavyweight fight targeted for the latter stages of the year.