Plans for the highly anticipated heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have encountered a fresh complication, with Dua Lipa reportedly declining an offer to perform at the event, according to a report by Daily Mail.
The British-Albanian singer, known for the hit single ‘Houdini’, turned down the approach despite direct personal lobbying from Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. Al-Sheikh, a prominent figure behind the kingdom’s boxing and entertainment expansion, reportedly went as far as jokingly threatening to cancel the entire event should his preferred headline act refuse to participate.
While the comments from Al-Sheikh were made in a light-hearted tone, they underline the considerable importance Saudi organisers place on the entertainment component of major boxing events staged under the “Riyadh Season” banner. Previous editions of the series have successfully attracted internationally recognised musical acts, making Lipa’s refusal a notable exception.
Earlier this week, it was announced that terms for the Joshua versus Fury fight had been agreed upon, though a venue has not yet been officially confirmed. The bout is expected to take place towards the end of 2026, with Wembley Stadium widely discussed as a potential location for what has been billed the “Battle of Britain.” Organisers must now identify a replacement performer capable of meeting the production standards Al-Sheikh has set for international broadcasts.
The entertainment negotiations represent only one element of a broader organisational picture. On the boxing side, Joshua has officially announced a competitive return to the ring on July 25, 2026, when he will face Kristian Prenga in Riyadh. The fight will mark Joshua’s first bout since a fatal car accident in Nigeria last December, a crash that resulted in the deaths of two of his close friends and team members.
Joshua, who holds both British and Nigerian nationality, has since signed a multi-fight agreement with Saudi backers — a deal that signals his intention to remain regularly active ahead of any eventual undisputed contest with Fury. The July fixture against Prenga is therefore viewed as a stepping stone within that broader framework.
For Fury, the proposed Joshua encounter represents a significant commercial and sporting opportunity. The two fighters have come close to agreeing terms on multiple occasions over the past several years, with negotiations repeatedly collapsing before reaching a formal agreement. The confirmation that terms have now been reached marks the furthest the fight has progressed contractually, though the absence of a confirmed venue means key logistical details remain outstanding.
Saudi Arabia’s increasing influence over the global boxing calendar has been one of the defining developments of the sport in recent years. The General Entertainment Authority has hosted several world title fights and multi-fight spectaculars as part of the Riyadh Season programme, positioning the kingdom as a central staging ground for major heavyweight events. The Joshua-Fury card, if it proceeds as planned, would represent one of the most commercially significant events in that ongoing series.
