Tyson Fury told Oleksandr Usyk that he is ready to come out of retirement for a third fight, telling the Ukrainian that he will be ready “anytime any place”. Fury quit professional boxing in January after losing their second bout, but has now laid out demands for their trilogy to be completed in the United Kingdom.
Usyk will fight Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on July 19 in a rematch and claimed he has one more bout in him before retirement. When asked who that last contest could be with, Usyk told The Stomping Ground: “Maybe it’s Tyson Fury. Maybe it’s Anthony Joshua.”
Pressed further on the prospect of taking Fury on again, the 38-year-old added: “He’s not retired. I think Tyson will continue training, continue boxing, because he’s a great man. Yes, Tyson Fury… a lot of speak – blah blah blah blah – but it’s good. Great man, wow.”
Fury commented on that interview and on Instagram and fired back: “Beat the f***er two times and the world knows the truth. Anytime any place. sucher(sic) uk next time 100k people.”
Usyk beat Fury on both occasions via split and then unanimous decision, despite Fury’s claim otherwise, but he did not dispel his last opponent’s stance that January’s retirement was final.
The Gypsy King had linked up with trainer SugarHill Steward on Monday, fueling speculation that he is gearing up for a return to the ring.
In good spirits, Fury said during a social media video: “Just in the gym, I bump into somebody you might know.”
Steward added: “We’re back guys, you know what time it is.”
Then Fury gave perhaps his most telling hint yet at a retirement U-turn, saying: “You know what’s coming.”
Another former world champion, Anthony Corolla, remained unconvinced that Fury would stay retired as he told Express Sport: “It’s not the first time he’s retired, or the second or the third. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Tyson Fury. Obviously, the longer it goes on (the retirement), the more valid it looks.
“He’s just put a call out that he’s in the gym, although knowing Tyson, that might only have been for a little bit. I think there are still a few huge fights for him, and with those huge fights come huge paydays.”