PETER FURY, uncle and trainer of world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, is confident his charge will square off with Anthony Joshua later this year.
Fury currently holds the WBA and WBO titles, while Joshua won the IBF title previously stripped from Fury at the weekend when he knocked Charles Martin out in two rounds.
Attention has turned to a potential megafight between Fury and Joshua, though Tyson must beat Wladimir Klitschko again in their rematch on July 9 first.
“Tyson and Joshua, especially now that Joshua is IBF champion, is great for British boxing so letโs get these two in the ring towards the end of the year in a blockbuster,” Fury told Boxing News.
“I think theyโll fight this year, why not? We want it, they [Joshua’s team] want it, so what can stop it? Letโs see where all the talking goes. I hope theyโre ready to take it, thereโs been a lot of talk from their camp.
“Itโs got all the makings towards a blockbuster at the end of the year, provided Tyson gets through Wladimir, which is no foregone conclusion.”
Peter also addressed comments from Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, which implied a parent would want their child to aspire to be like Joshua, rather than Tyson.
Peter has served two stints in prison, one for possession and intent to supply amphetamine, the other for drug related money-laundering, and likened his own criminal past to Joshua’s.
“Letโs not forget, Iโm an ex-criminal myself and Joshuaโs got a record similar to me [Joshua avoided jail after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis in 2011]. Tyson Furyโs got a parking ticket to his name, Joshuaโs got a drug conviction,” he said.
“Iโve got drug convictions, I donโt shout from the rooftops that Iโm a role model. Iโm a realist. Iโm not a role model, Iโm an ex-convict.
“But Eddie Hearn is a great promoter, theyโve done a fantastic job with Joshua and full credit where itโs due. Now heโs a world champion, itโs fantastic. Whenโs the last time we had two heavyweight world champions from the same country?”
Tyson’s father, the inimitable John Fury, insists that his son has not received the respect he deserves after beating Klitschko and Peter agrees.
He said: “Tyson, not only did he beat the linear champion who was undefeated for 11 years, he went to Germany to do it. Nobodyโs done it. Credit needs to be given where itโs due, Tyson Fury right now is the best heavyweight in the world. Weโre looking to cement that in the rematch.”
Though Tyson is happy the fight is in Manchester, he claims the location of his clash with Klitschko was no issue, as long as it was not in Germany.
The original date for their first meeting at the ESPRIT Arena in Dusseldorf was scrapped after Wladimir picked up an injury, meaning some fans lost money on hotels and flights they had already booked.
Peter is glad that no such issues should affect UK fans now that the rematch is on these shores.
“Itโs nice for the fans to have it in England, Iโm pleased for them. Last time there were delays, people losing money from flights and hotels. So itโs brilliant for UK boxing, itโs nice to have it here,” he said.
“Full credit to BoxNation [who will broadcast the fight in the UK], theyโve been a big cog in this wheel getting this fight on.”
After the lacklustre first fight between the two giants, Klitschko was criticised for not being aggressive enough, in particular with his famed right hand.
The Fury camp are expecting a much livelier Klitschko in the return, so much so that Peter revealed his camp with Tyson will be drastically different.
He said: “Weโll do everything differently. The tactics for this fight will be different, Iโve got an idea in my mind of what weโll do, we just need to execute it. Weโre in for a more exciting fight this time, Iโm expecting a knockout. I think Klitschkoโs going to bring it.”