Tyson Fury Targets 280 Pounds for Anthony Joshua: 'Big Boy 280lbs Incoming'

Tyson Fury is going big for Anthony Joshua. Very big.

The former heavyweight champion says he's aiming to weigh around 280 pounds for the Dec 11 fight at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, which streams live on Netflix. To be clear, this is a training target Fury put out on social media. It is not a weigh-in result. The official numbers come at the weigh-in.

Here's what Fury wrote on Instagram: "Big boy 280lbs incoming. Not your average build! however the love handles are used for energy".

From boxbid.ioPlay Fantasy Boxing, freePick every fight on the card. Win points and the weekly Ringside badge. Play

T Tyson Fury@tysonfury

Big boy 280lbs incoming. 😜 Not your average build! however the love handles are used for energy ❤️🙏🥇

BoxingScene picked it up, saying Fury is promising an early knockout of Joshua.

The numbers behind the plan

If Fury hits 280, it would be one pound shy of his career heaviest. He weighed 281 for his December 2024 rematch with Oleksandr Usyk, which he lost on points. So the extra size is no guarantee.

The bulk-up idea goes back to February 2020, when Fury came in at 273 for his rematch with Deontay Wilder (per the WBC) and walked him down for a seventh-round stoppage. He was a lot lighter for his comeback in July, weighing 265 for Mariusz Wach.

Joshua weighed 251 for his July win over Kristian Prenga in Jeddah. If Fury really shows up near 280, that's a gap of almost 30 pounds.

What's at stake

The vacant WBA "super" heavyweight title is on the line in a 12-rounder that Netflix is streaming worldwide, promoted with Turki Alalshikh's The Ring. For more on the build-up, read about the Netflix Fury documentary dropping Nov 27, the reported Wilder vs Opetaia undercard bout and the hints that Roman Fury will be on the card.

Does heavy Fury beat AJ, or does the weight slow him down? Make your call on Fight Picker. Our guide covers how Fight Picker, Guess the Purse and Fan Polls work, and what each one pays.