TYSON FURY is a wanted man right now. Fresh off his brilliant upset win over Wladimir Klitschko, the new WBA, IBF and WBO king is being called out by just about every notable heavyweight out there – be it David Haye, Anthony Joshua, Wladimir Klitschko (who wants a rematch, as the contract for the first fight stipulates) and, perhaps most vocally, Deontay Wilder.
Fury has no objections to facing Klitschko for a second time, for a โround two, ding, ding,โ as he put it himself after the fight, but he has nothing but disdain for Haye. โIโd rather fight my cousin, Hughie, than give that pretender a pay day,โ Fury stated. And while a massive all-British clash with Olympic gold medal winner Joshua will almost certainly happen if Fury can hang onto his world titles, that one looks to be a good few months away at least. But a unification with Wilder could happen next year, and the reigning WBC boss says he wants it to happen right after his next fight – a third voluntary defence of his WBC belt, against a TBA – in January.
โIโve got to fight someone in January and after that I would love to have a unification bout – and guess what, I wouldnโt mind coming to the UK for that one,โ Wilder told BBC Radio 5. โNo matter where it might be, I want to be the undisputed champion of the world.โ
Wilder, though, must accommodate Russiaโs Alexander Povetkin, who, as Wilderโs mandatory, has been waiting patiently for his earned shot for some time. But if Wilder can win in January, then get past Povetkin in the spring or early summer, it could be Fury after that. Fury, though, claims he isnโt all that interested in fighting โThe Bronze Bomber,โ as the unbeaten Wilder is known.
“Why should I be bothered about a novice like Wilder,โ Fury said shortly after his great win in Germany. โHeโs a basketball player who took up boxing a couple of years ago. Letโs laugh at his name, shall we?โ
Despite this talk, Fury has to know a unification fight, against a huge puncher and as marketable a fighter as Wilder, could not fail to do huge business. And assuming he can take care of his own obligations regarding a Klitschko return – which could be Furyโs next fight if he is not allowed a voluntary defence first – Fury would surely be enticed by the idea of having Wilder do the travelling over to the UK for what would be a monstrous promotion.
Fury seems to have plenty of options, as is to be expected now that he is the linear heavyweight champion of the world.