Tyson Fury has rejected reports of a “nonsense” four-man tournament that would have included himself and Anthony Joshua. Fury has not fought this year following a month of discussions with Oleksandr Usyk regarding an undisputed bout that ultimately fell through without a deal being reached.
Although Fury’s plans remain uncertain, he is likely to pursue a voluntary title defense in July. Which may involve matches against Andy Ruiz Jr or Zhilei Zhang.
Last week, radio host Simon Jordan floated the idea of a four-man tournament that would see Tyson take on Oleksandr. While Anthony would face Deontay on the same evening.
Recently, Wilder’s trainer Malik Scott confirmed that discussions were ongoing. Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, acknowledged that Saudi Arabia had expressed interest in the proposal.
The fan-friendly tournament format was swiftly rejected by the WBC champion. He took to his Instagram story to state, “I can confirm that these rumors are complete nonsense.”
‼️ Tyson Fury addressing the Saudi Arabia heavyweight tournament talk on Instagram today… pic.twitter.com/sOuMW5VGUc
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) April 17, 2023
Earlier that day, Fury had shared a post of himself returning to the gym alongside training partner Joseph Parker. Leading to speculation that he may be planning a comeback.
The gypsy bum has no interest in fighting the top contenders https://t.co/fbc1JNjJ0X
— ScuderiaLTG (@LTG_Reformed) April 17, 2023
Fury the only person that doesn’t want to fight!!!
— Nathan Allen Pirtle (@Nathanapirtle) April 17, 2023
A four-man tournament featuring the top heavyweight contenders would undoubtedly be an enticing prospect for fans, and it could potentially resolve many of the mysteries that have left boxing enthusiasts eagerly anticipating the outcomes.
Tyson Fury: The King or The Bum?
If all fighters emerged victorious from their respective challenges, this could have paved the way for a long-awaited, highly-anticipated British grudge match between Joshua and Fury.
Following a routine trilogy bout against Derek Chisora in December, the ‘Gypsy King’ has not fought since. However, he did fight twice last year and successfully defended his title against Dillian Whyte.
Before Joe Joyce’s defeat to Zhilei Zhang over the weekend, there were rumors of a potential showdown between Joyce and Fury, but with Joyce’s recent loss, Fury is now facing difficulties in finding a suitable opponent.
Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, has acknowledged that a date has been tentatively set for Tyson’s return, but with his previous potential opponent no longer a viable option, they will now begin searching for an alternative opponent.
“Joe’s got that rematch clause,” Warren explained. “And if he takes it, it’s obviously going to be a complication with anything to discuss alternative fights for him right now. And at the end of the day, Tyson’s the boss when it comes down to what he wants to do.
“If he wants to fight this summer, he’ll let us know, we’ll try to make it happen. We need to know pretty quickly to invoke something in the during the summer.”
