Joe Joyce has told Tyson Fury "I'll give it to you", should the heavyweight champion decide to U-turn on his retirement decision.
The undefeated Manchester fighter announced in April that he would be retiring from the sport after he defeated Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium to defend his belt for a second time. But there is a feeling that Fury will likely fight again, with major-money bouts still on the table for the undisputed title against either Anthony Joshua or Oleksandr Usyk.
And Joyce, another top heavyweight who has emerged as a major contender in recent years, has thrown his hat in the ring for a fight with Fury. The pair are both promoted in the UK by Frank Warren and Queensberry Promotions, and were being talked about as opponents for a March fight had Whyte opted not to avail of his mandatory position.
The promotion posted an interview clip of Joyce discussing his chances against Fury on Instagram, asking fans in the caption how they could see the fight going. And Fury commented himself, declaring that Joyce, or any other heavyweight, would need weaponry to beat him.
"The only way anybody could have beat me is with a bat while I'm sleeping!" Fury declared along with a series of emojis. Joyce hit back, telling Fury "Wait, I thought you were retired, if you want some I'll give it ya [sic]."
In the clip, Joyce was asked how he feels he could beat Fury, responding that it would likely be a more skill-based chess match than a slug-fest. "It would be a very technical boxing match," he told host Dev Sahni, in what was a short piece of an interview with the Queensberry Promotions YouTube channel.
"But I would just have to wear him down and juggernaut him or beat him at his own game. But it's a big ask, it's a 50-50 fight. Let's hope he stays un-retired and comes and comes and fights me because I'd love that fight."
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Fury, however, continues to insist that he won't be fighting again, save for an exhibition bout here and there in the vein of Floyd Mayweather or a mixed-rules crossover against Francis Ngannou. The Brit defeated the likes of Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder during his run to the top, winning every belt in the heavyweight division and never losing them in the ring.
But he has claimed that he wants to spend time as a family man in his Morecambe home with wife Paris and their six children. He has stayed in shape, sharing training footage with pals online, but continues to reiterate that he won't box professionally again, despite even his own American promoter Bob Arum casting doubts on his hanging up of the gloves.
