Fury: Joshua has borrowed my belts
Lancastrian urges rival to take on his challenge Call for rematch with Wilder after draw
Tyson Fury sent a reminder to Anthony Joshua yesterday that the three heavyweight title belts the Londoner holds were just “borrowed” from him.
And he urged Joshua to follow his lead and take on the greatest challenges as soon as possible “like a true fighting man”.
Fury, his right hand sore and his forehead and eyes marked after his World Boxing Council championship fight with Deontay Wilder on Saturday night ended in a controversial draw, said: “I would fight Deontay Wilder again because I’m a fighting man and so is Deontay. I know Deontay is going to want the rematch, but I can’t speak for him. But you’ve got a guy in England [Joshua] with three belts out of the picture. My belts.”
The Lancastrian insisted that any victory over him was a prize in itself as he was the lineal champion. He defeated Wladimir Klitschko three years ago, and has never been beaten, only losing his titles through inactivity.
Fury’s weekend heroics here have earned him a high rank in the betting for BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Three years ago, he finished fourth, despite criticism for sexist comments about Jessica Ennis-hill in the run-up to the vote.
A rematch with Wilder seems reasonable to Fury, given many felt he had won – though, importantly, not two of the ringside judges – and his extraordinary comeback has made him a star in the United States. Fury, Wilder and Joshua will now enter a negotiating game that will come down to money, purse splits and egos. Fury’s dream is that the best sign to fight the best – and quickly. “I hope the best do fight the best because it is great for the fans and great for boxing,” he said.
“I wouldn’t like to go through my career knowing I didn’t fight the best. I’m sat here with a draw today, but everybody knows the truth and I don’t feel any lesser of a man. I know I won that fight. I know it and the world knows it.
“I don’t care about the belts, really. They are just borrowed belts. I don’t really class them as world-title belts because I’ve got them at home in my living room. I’m happy that I’m the lineal heavyweight champion of the world.”
Fury and Wilder were complimentary about each other after the contest, the Alabaman having celebrated prematurely after poleaxing his rival with a left hook in the final round. “Look, two big boys stepped up and showed everything that they needed to,” Fury said.
“We put it all on the line – records, titles, 10 years unbeaten as pros, reputations, pride, honour, respect – and we fought it out like two warriors.”