Fury ends Joshua hopes with Usyk unification clash
Deal with Ukrainian likely within ‘a couple of weeks’ WBC champion also wants to challenge Briton Joyce
Tyson Fury will fight Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight title next year, finally ending Anthony Joshua’s hopes of a “Battle of Britain” showdown.
Fury retained the World Boxing Council heavyweight title at
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday when he dominated his fight against Derek Chisora, which was stopped in the 10th round.
Usyk holds the remaining three titles and his fight against Fury, likely to be held in the first quarter of next year in Saudi Arabia, presents the “Gypsy King” with the chance to become the first British undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis.
“We’re going to see the biggest year of hopefully my career in 2023 and we’re going to get those big fights,” said Fury.
Fury’s showdown with the
‘We’re all blood and bone. I train hard and I dedicate myself to this game. It’s not about what’s on the outside, it’s the size of the fighter inside you’
Ukrainian is likely to end talk of a mega-money fight with Joshua. The pair have nearly fought on several occasions, with the latest agreement to fight this winter breaking down. Now the richest fight in British boxing history, worth an estimated £200million, will not happen.
“Zero, not happening,” said Fury of Joshua. “I want to fight a real man and challengers who want to fight. Usyk came here to make a fight, he was ringside and he stood right in my face. We live in the same country and has anyone ever seen AJ [Joshua] do that to me?”
Fury then turned his thoughts to Usyk, who has beaten Joshua twice and holds the World Boxing Association, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organisation heavyweight crowns.
“Let’s talk about Usyk because now I can,” said Fury. “I’m ready and willing to take on Usyk next, whether it’s in Saudi Arabia or here in the UK. Both places would be fantastic, so let’s give the fans one champion, one name, one face.
“Usyk’s up for the challenge, he came over tonight, so fair play to him. He’s not an easy boxer to figure out, he’s a slick southpaw mover with very good skills, an Olympic gold medallist and he’s shown some good form.”
Fury’s promoters, Frank Warren and Bob Arum, told Telegraph Sport that they expected the Usyk contest to be confirmed “in a couple of weeks”.
Fury said: “I hear all this talk of big money in Saudi Arabia, I even spoke to Prince Khalid before and I said, ‘Are you going to put this fight on?’ And he said, ‘Why am I here?’ If he’s as good as his word, it looks like we’ll be putting it on.
“Sometimes the big fights don’t happen for whatever reason. I have a good feeling this one will happen, but if it doesn’t, then we’ll have Joe Joyce at Wembley. If Usyk does happen, I’ll do it and then have Joe Joyce at Wembley [afterwards].”
Joyce, from London, unbeaten in 15 fights, with 14 knockouts, is the WBO’S mandatory challenger.
Fury said: “People have been asking me all night, who’s your tougher fight, Usyk or Joyce? In my opinion Usyk is a slicker boxer, but Joe Joyce gives me a tougher fight.
“I’m not going to take anything away from Usyk, he’s the undisputed cruiserweight champion, and he’s the unified heavyweight champion, so he’s had a fantastic career. But I do think the biggest challenge for me is Joe Joyce.
“I’m very impressed with where he’s come from and where he’s at. He should be an Olympic gold medallist, he got ripped off [at the Rio 2016 Olympic final against Tony Yoka, of France]. He’s done everything asked of him. He’s mandatory already, so if Usyk can’t be made, it will be the ‘Juggernaut’ and it will be a clash of titans for sure.”
Asked why he is being described as “unbeatable”, the 6ft 9in, 19½st Fury replied: “Listen, we’re all blood and bone. I train hard and I dedicate myself to this game. It’s not about what’s on the outside, it’s the size of the fighter inside you.
“I retired back in April and I really meant it, hand on heart. I had four months at home with Paris and the kids and the dog, a normal family life. I always said I wanted to live a normal life in Morecambe Bay. But when I thought about it, I’m anything but normal, I’m abnormal.
“This is what I do, this is what I am. This is what has defined me as person. If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t be winning these fights.”