British boxing fans are still clinging on to the hope that they will get to see Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua one day, and Ricky Hatton believes it needs to happen if the Gypsy King doesn't want to face regret for the rest of his life.

Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs) and Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) have been the two superstar stalwarts of boxing in Great Britain over the past decade, taking part in some of the most lucrative and dramatic heavyweight fights in that time.

Joshua has had gruelling fights with the likes of Dillian Whyte, Wladimir Klitshcko, Andy Ruiz Jr, Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois. Fury, meanwhile, had a Las Vegas trilogy with Deontay Wilder and also has several mutual AJ opponents on his CV.

Despite dozens of call-outs, social media spars and endless negotiations, the pair are yet to throw down themselves.

And Fury's retirement from the sport in January, following his unanimous decision loss to Usyk in December, has only put the duo further apart.

Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn still holds hope Fury will see sense and come back around to the idea of fighting his longtime rival in what would be the biggest all-British fight of its generation.

Hatton, who was part of Fury's training team for the first Wilder fight in December 2018 and has a close relationship with his fellow Mancunian, also wishes for the fight to happen.

He told Sky Sports: "I would take that retirement with a pinch of salt knowing Tyson. If he gets offered the right money, the right purse for the AJ fight, knowing Tyson as I do, I think he'd jump at it.

"I think Tyson will kick himself if he's sat on his sofa 10 years down the line and thinks to himself: 'I wonder what would have happened if I'd have fought AJ?'

"He's in a position to do something about now rather than be cursing himself for the rest of his life."

Hatton also made it clear that Fury, who is still The Ring's No. 1 heavyweight, should only be looking to fight Joshua if he's to step between the ropes again.

The former two-weight world champion added: "If he does [come back], that's the last one I'd like him to have. Because you don't like to see your mates get hurt.

"I'd like to see him retire. I think he's done enough. I would like to see the AJ fight but I think he's done enough. Let's have it right, a few years ago when he was 26 stone, we never thought he'd fight again.

"He's got nothing left to prove."

Joshua, The Ring's No. 5 heavyweight, is expected to return at the end of the summer and supposedly only fancies a fight with Fury or a rematch with Dubois, who he lost to via fifth-round knockout in September 2024.

With Dubois likely to fight Usyk for undisputed honours, however, and Fury's future still unclear, Joshua's next-fight plans also remain uncertain.