Italian heavyweight boxer Guido Vianello has called out former world champion Anthony Joshua for a headline-grabbing fight at the Roman Colosseum, saying the event would “change the world.”
Vianello, 31, who stands at 6ft 6in, made the challenge during an interview with Uncrowned, urging Joshua to make boxing history in Italy’s most iconic landmark.
“I would love to fight with AJ. And I would love to do this in the Colosseum, because it’s not just a fight — we would change the world,” Vianello said. “There has never been a fight in the Colosseum, but we need a big name. Joshua deserves a tough opponent, and I want to be that man.”
The Colosseum, built nearly 2,000 years ago, was once home to gladiatorial contests and other Roman spectacles but has never hosted a modern sporting event. Efforts to stage fights there have surfaced before, including Dana White’s 2023 plan to host a celebrity MMA match between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, which eventually collapsed.
Vianello’s bold proposal follows reports that Saudi boxing officials have explored hosting global events at historic sites such as the Colosseum, the Eiffel Tower, and Alcatraz Prison.
Joshua, 36, has been out of action since his September 2024 knockout loss to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium. His promoter, Eddie Hearn, recently confirmed that the British boxer is back in training and expected to take a tune-up fight before pursuing a domestic blockbuster with Tyson Fury.
Meanwhile, Russian heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov has also issued a call-out to Joshua, claiming the Briton agreed to fight him in 2026.
“Anthony Joshua, where are you? I’m coming for you,” Makhmudov said after defeating Dave Allen in Sheffield.
As Joshua eyes a comeback next year, potential future bouts — including a trilogy fight with Oleksandr Usyk or the long-awaited Fury showdown — remain on the horizon.
