Tyson Fury could be back in the ring ‘before the end of the year’, according to the heavyweight champion’s US promoter Bob arum.
Following Fury’s knockout of Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium in April, the unbeaten Briton vowed to retire from professional boxing. While Fury has expressed an interest in taking part in exhibition bouts, he has poured cold water on the idea of a fight against the winner of Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk’s rematch.
The pair will square off in Saudi Arabia in August as Joshua tries to regain the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight titles from the undefeated Ukrainian, who outpointed “AJ” to win the belts in September.
Fury’s victory over Whyte saw the 33-year-old retain the WBC title, and a clash with the winner of Joshua and Usyk’s rematch would crown an undisputed heavyweight champion – as long as Fury does not vacate his belt before then.
Although Fury has played down the chances of competing against Joshua or Usyk, Arum remains convinced that the “Gypsy King” will return to the ring – although he has a different opponent in mind than Joshua or Usyk.
“He’s going to fight. He’s a fighting man, and I expect Tyson Fury back in the ring before the end of the year,” Arum told Queensberry Promotions.
“I think if Joe Joyce wins his fight in early July, Tyson Fury and Joyce at Wembley at the beginning of October will do as well if not better... I don’t know how you can do better, but as well as the Dillian Whyte fight with Tyson Fury.
“That will lead to a Fury fight against the winner of Joshua and Usyk. I’ll do the best I can to make sure that fight takes place in the UK, because I don’t think it’s good for boxing to have a fight like that and putting it in Saudi Arabia.”
Briton Joyce is an Olympic silver medalist and is unbeaten as a professional boxer.
The 36-year-old’s record stands at 13-0 (12 knockouts), and he will look to improve it again when he faces Christian Hammer at Wembley Arena on 2 July.
Hammer is an old opponent of Fury’s, having suffered an eighth-round loss to the “Gypsy King” in 2015.
