In a surprising twist that has the boxing world buzzing, global pop sensation Dua Lipa has reportedly turned down a high-profile offer to perform at the long-awaited super-fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua later this year. The decision comes despite reports that Saudi boxing matchmaker Turki Alalshikh was pushing hard to secure the star for the seismic event.

The all-British heavyweight showdown, which fans have been clamoring for years, finally took a major step forward this week when both fighters signed contracts. While no official date or venue has been confirmed for the Fury-Joshua clash, the plan is for Joshua to first face relative unknown Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia on July 25, before taking on Fury later in 2026—likely in the UK this autumn, possibly at Wembley Stadium, and almost certainly streaming live on Netflix.

Fury, 37, is also eyeing a warm-up bout, despite having just fought three weeks ago with an easy win over Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. But the biggest buzz right now isn't about the fighters—it's about the entertainment.

Alalshikh, known for pulling out all the stops for his fight events, had set his sights on Dua Lipa to headline the show. Sky Sports even reported that he had threatened to pull the plug on the entire fight if the "Levitating" and "Don't Start Now" singer wouldn't take part—though that claim may have been more playful than serious. Either way, the BBC has now confirmed that the three-time Grammy winner, 30, was approached and ultimately declined the offer.

This isn't the first time Saudi-backed fights have featured major musical acts. Eminem performed before Terence Crawford's win over Israil Madrimov in 2024, and Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher did the same before Joshua was stopped by Daniel Dubois later that year. If a replacement is found, they'll have big shoes to fill—Dua Lipa's catalog includes hits like "Dance The Night," "Houdini," "Training Season," plus collaborations with Elton John ("Cold Heart") and Calvin Harris ("One Kiss").

For now, all eyes remain on whether the Fury-Joshua fight can live up to the hype—and who might take the stage when it does. One thing's for sure: in the world of big-time boxing, the show goes on, with or without the pop stars.