I can’t retire until I fight Joshua, says champion Fury

TYSON Fury says it would be a “travesty” if he does not secure a fight against domestic rival Anthony Joshua before either of the pair hang up their gloves for good.

Fury, who has retired or threatened to retire several times, is in training to face Derek Chisora for a third time at Tottenham on December 3. The 34-year-old threw out a direct challenge to Joshua in September but talks between the two fighters’ teams broke down.

Fury told the High Performance Podcast: “I don’t think I can retire today. I need the Joshua fight. We have been trying to make that fight for years. It’s the fight that people want to see. It’s the fight that I want to see as a boxing fan.”

Fury indicated he is likely to struggle to call time on his career given the constant prospect of new challenges, starting with a projected unification showdown with Oleksandr Usyk earlier next year.

A new generation of British rivals, like Joe Joyce and Daniel Dubois, are also beginning to stake claims to a shot at the WBC champion.

Fury continued: “Now there’s a load of new blood that wasn’t there five years ago...But it would be an absolute dying travesty if me and Joshua didn’t fight in this era.”