In a recent revelation, Tyson Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs), the reigning WBC heavyweight champion, has voiced his skepticism over the potential for a fight with any of the contenders currently under discussion in the media. This statement comes amidst reports of several names being considered for Fury’s next opponent. “I hear all these names being chucked around but I don’t pay any heed to them until I’m actually in the ring with them,” Fury confessed, as reported by The Standard. His sentiment is rooted in his extensive 14-year boxing career, during which many proposed fights never came to fruition, leading him to be less than hopeful for the current round of discussions.
Previously, Fury had been in negotiations for an undisputed title fight against Oleksandr Usyk, the WBA, IBF, IBO, and WBO champion. The bout, initially slated for an April date at Wembley Stadium, fell through due to disagreements over financial terms for the rematch. Usyk, as a result, is now preparing for a mandatory defense against Daniel Dubois, while the future of Fury's next bout remains uncertain.
July has been earmarked for Fury’s voluntary world title defense, but no opponent has been confirmed yet. Andy Ruiz and Zhang Zhilei were initially part of the discussion, but Fury remains doubtful about either of these names being finalized. He pointedly remarked, “One thing I can say is, if they’re going to do something [in July] then they better get their finger out. Time is ticking. They better hurry up, we’re in May now.”
Frank Warren, Fury’s co-promoter, is facing difficulties securing a top-tier opponent for the scheduled date. The likelihood of a showdown with Andy Ruiz seems slim given Ruiz’s significant financial demands. Meanwhile, Zhang has been temporarily removed from the list of potential challengers after Joe Joyce activated an immediate rematch clause. Warren, expressing his frustration, told Boxing News, “The problem we’ve got is the ones we wanted are all fighting. The Zhang fight, Joe Joyce, I wouldn’t have gone with Joe next, he’ll have to get a win first and obviously Daniel. We’ll have a look around and see what’s available.”
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