Speaking at his press conference after losing to Oleksandr Usyk for the second time, Tyson Fury had little interest in discussing whether he would return to the ring.
“I’m going to go home and have a good Christmas,” he said. “I’ve been away from my kids for 12 weeks. You might see me again, you might not. Who knows? We’ll talk about that next year.”
The 36-year-old locked himself away in Malta for his training camp, not even speaking to his wife or children for three months as he put his entire focus into avenging his defeat to Usyk earlier this year. Fury cut a more serious figure in fight week and indeed on the night, sticking to his game plan and, as he promised, there was no showboating.
Still it was not enough. Fury started the fight confidently and it was clear he wanted to be more aggressive, as had been signposted at the weigh-in when he came in four stone heavier than his opponent.
Usyk, though, gradually got into his typically brilliant rhythm and landed the cleaner shots, for all each of the 12 rounds were competitive. Fury was convinced he had won it, many ringside pundits could not split them, but it was Usyk who had his hand raised, the three judges scoring it 116-112 in his favour.
A trilogy would have been inevitable had Fury been victorious, but there is little appetite for that now. The key question is whether Fury wants to fight on, and the likelihood is that he does. His performance in the rematch was not one of a man who has little left in the tank, with no sign that his punch resistance or speed has significantly diminished. He ultimately fell just short against one of the greatest fighters the sport has seen.
The list of potential opponents should Fury dismiss talk of retirement is a short one. With another immediate shot at a world title not on the cards, he will instead look for the biggest fights and there is none bigger, financially or otherwise, than a long-awaited showdown with Anthony Joshua.
Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, was ringside on Saturday night and he was quick to get the ball rolling on the possibility of a Battle of Britain to settle a decade-long rivalry. Hearn said: "Has there ever been a better time? They're both coming off defeats, both on the back end of their careers. One in Wembley, one in Riyadh, two fights in 2025."
Hearn is a persuasive salesman but the answer to his question is a fairly obvious one. Fury is 36 and has lost his previous two fights, while Joshua is only a year younger and of his ten most recent bouts, four have ended in defeat. He was comprehensively stopped by Daniel Dubois in September. It does not require a particularly strong memory to think of better circumstances in which this fight should have been made.
“massive announcement” FURY VS JOSHUA IS ON AUGUST 14 in The kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The worlds biggest sporting event all eyes on us. @SCEEKSA @gsaksa_en @trboxing @mtkglobal @frankwarren_tv @marbella @wowhydrate #LETTHEGAMESBEGIN #saudiarabia #TYSONOFARABIA pic.twitter.com/ZKIAXLictV
— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) May 16, 2021
Wind the clocks back to March 2021. Joshua held the WBA, WBO and IBF world titles, with the WBC strap in Fury’s possession. It was announced that a two-fight deal had been agreed, for what would have been an undisputed showdown and the biggest night in British boxing history. Fury even announced a fight date, declaring the pair would meet on August 14 in Saudi Arabia.
That did not materialise, and an agreement could not be reached a year later either when Joshua “accepted all terms”, after Fury made a public offer to fight him in December 2022. Several opportunities have been missed for the two to meet when world champions and at the peak of their powers.
This time, though, there are no obvious obstacles. Neither fighter is sat at the top table of the heavyweight division, so there are no politics or mandatory requirements in the way. Joshua has the option to rematch Dubois, but the 27-year-old already has a fight with Joseph Parker in February and has made it clear he wants Usyk after that.
More than ever, Joshua and Fury need each other. The vulnerabilities of both add a layer of intrigue, and the star power is still there to sell out Wembley Stadium in a matter of minutes. Retirement would be almost inevitable for whoever loses, and present an appealing opportunity go out on a high for the winner. As was the case with Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao or Amir Khan vs Kell Brook, the offer of a huge payday as the chequered flag approaches can concentrate minds.
As for Usyk, there are far more options, even if perhaps the most satisfying of them would be to hang up his gloves for good. The Ukrainian has held undisputed status at cruiserweight and heavyweight, taking on the very best from both divisions and not doing so on home soil since 2015. Having beaten Fury and Joshua twice, as well as stopping Dubois, he has nothing left to prove. It would be a sad sight if Usyk, who turns 38 in January, was beaten only because he fought on too long.
But he suggested on Saturday night that there is more still to come. There was something uncomfortable about Dubois snatching the microphone in the ring and demanding a rematch with Usyk, not least because he faces a tough test against Parker in February. However, an undisputed bout between the pair later in 2025 is a compelling prospect, with Dubois significantly improved since he was beaten by Usyk amid controversy over a low blow in August last year.
More than ever, Joshua and Fury need each other
A Dubois rematch and a shot at becoming undisputed again is the only fight left for Usyk at heavyweight. He has also talked about dropping back down to cruiserweight, with IBF champion Jai Opetaia potentially on the hit list.
Joshua and Fury are in the home straight of their careers and Usyk is, at best, not far behind them, having had 350 amateur fights and a tough run in the professional ranks. A changing of the guard is imminent and it will be led in the years ahead by Dubois, whether he gets a second fight with Usyk or not.
A look at the IBF rankings below champion Dubois shows Martin Bakole, Frank Sanchez and Efe Ajagba in the top five, opponents who would struggle to pique the interest of casual fans. Fabio Wardley and Moses Itauma would certainly do that, but neither are yet ready for world-title shots. With the likes of Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang close to retirement, and the same surely true for Derek Chisora, Joe Joyce and Dillian Whyte, the division is not rife with big names ready to fill the vacuum.
Joshua and Fury will surely provide at least one more mega-fight and there could be more Usyk masterclasses to come, but then it will be over to Dubois to carry the heavyweight baton.
