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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Alex Pattle

Anthony Joshua’s ‘bubble has burst’: Tyson Fury not interested in reversing retirement for all-British clash

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Tyson Fury has reiterated his disinterest in an all-British clash with Anthony Joshua, saying the former heavyweight champion’s ‘bubble has burst’.

Fury has claimed that he will not fight again following his knockout win against Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium in April.

That victory saw Fury, 33, retain the WBC heavyweight title, which the “Gypsy King” is yet to relinquish despite his apparent retirement.

Nevertheless, the unbeaten Briton has ruled out a fight against the winner of Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk’s rematch this summer, which will see “AJ” try to regain the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts that he lost to the undefeated Ukrainian in London last September.

“There’s always going to be that clamour,” Fury told the PA news agency. “Even when Joshua and Usyk are finished and there’s new contenders and champions, they will always ask Tyson Fury to come back as undefeated champion and fight these people.

“But rumours are rumours; until I say that I’m actually doing a fight, take me at my word. For now I’m done with professional boxing and I’ve moved on to other things, but you can never say never. You never know what the future holds.”

Tyson Fury (right) knocked out Dillian Whyte to stay unbeaten as WBC heavyweight champion (Nick Potts/PA) (PA Wire)

Fury further downplayed the appeal of an in-ring meeting with Joshua, bringing up the former two-time champion’s losses to Usyk and Andy Ruiz Jr – the only two defeats of AJ’s professional career.

“He’s been bounced off the canvas by a little fat fella, then he’s been comprehensively outboxed and battered by a middleweight who nobody had heard of until he beat AJ,” Fury said.

“I don’t see what the big clamour is. If he’d been undefeated like [Deontay] Wilder, and everyone thought he could batter me, then it’s challenging. Joshua might need me, but I don’t need him nor what he can bring.

“The only thing these fighters come back for is the money. As Clark Gable said in many movies: ‘Quite frankly, I don’t give a damn.’ The money is not tempting to me. I live in Morecambe and shop in Asda. And if I had a trillion dollars, I couldn’t live any differently to the way I live now.

“There’s nothing I want or need from a comeback. I’ve won every belt in boxing, every award there is to win. There is nothing at this present moment that would tempt me back.”

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