BOXING: Fury to fight Polish journeyman Wach in Thailand on July 24

LONDON — Tyson Fury will face 46-year-old Polish heavyweight Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand, on July 24 in what he described as a warm-up bout ahead of a showdown with British rival Anthony Joshua, he announced on Tuesday.

The fight will take place one day before Joshua is scheduled to meet Albanian boxer Kristian Prenga in Jeddah, as the heavyweight division continues to open up following Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to relinquish his WBC, WBA, and IBF titles.

“This 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,” Fury said in a statement. “We’re coming together to put on a great show for the fans, while using the opportunity to give back to the local community, who have been so good to me every time I have visited.”

The “Gypsy King” has been training at a gym in the Thai resort ahead of the bout.

Wach, who holds a professional record of 39-13, previously lost to Fury’s cousin Hughie Fury in December 2020. He has dropped seven of his last 10 fights, including a defeat to British heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma in July 2024. He also challenged Ukraine’s Wladimir Klitschko for a world heavyweight title in 2012, a fight he lost.

Fury’s manager, Spencer Brown, said the matchup represents proper preparation for the planned clash with Joshua.

“This fight is serious preparation for his fight with Anthony Joshua, and we cannot afford any slip-ups at this stage,” he said.

Fury had previously indicated that his next fight would take place in Dublin on August 1. His most recent bout was a decisive points victory over Russia’s Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11. -Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ed Osmond/Reuters