The promoter of WBA, WBO, IBF and Ring magazine heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk 20-0 (13) has questioned the mental strength of WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury 32-0-1 (23).
Ukrainian southpaw Usyk, 35, scored a split decision victory over Anthony Joshua 24-3 (22) in their rematch in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
He immediately stated that he wants Fury next and threatened to retire if the fight couldn’t be made. Britain’s Fury, 34, has been toying with retirement following his sixth-round knockout of mandatory contender Dillian Whyte in April.
“I’m sure that Tyson Fury is not retired yet,” Usyk said after defeating Joshua for the second time. “I’m sure. I’m convinced he wants to fight me. I want to fight him. And if I’m not fighting Tyson Fury, I’m not fighting at all.”
Usyk’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk challenged Fury to step up to the plate.
“Tyson Fury is next if he is strong enough to take it,” Krassyuk told Boxing Social. “I mean if he is mentally and physically strong.”
Fury, who defeated Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 in a lacklustre affair to claim the same sanctioning body titles Usyk now owns, was unimpressed by the former undisputed cruiserweight champion’s performance against Joshua.
“After watching that, the both of them was shite,” Fury said in a video posted to social media.
“It was one of the worst title fights I have ever seen. They were bullshit. Come on. I annihilate both of them on the same night. Fucking shite. Get your fucking cheque book out, because ‘The Gypsy King’ is here to stay forever.”
Usyk isn’t the only one unconvinced that Fury is retired. The Brit’s co-promoter Frank Warren believes we will see him back in the prize ring.
“He and Usyk would be a really good fight,” Warren told BBC Radio 5 Live. “It’s a fight that I think will be made because both teams would like to see that happen.
“Usyk said after the fight that it’s the only fight he’s interested in and it’s certainly the same case with Tyson. It’s just a matter of where it will generate the most income because it’s a unique fight, a historic fight. It’s the first time for God knows how long that the four belts are on the line. Both fighters are undefeated. The whole world of boxing will be captivated by this fight.”
Warren also refused to rule out a bout against Joshua, who has now lost back-to-back fights against Usyk.
“If AJ manages to get a couple of wins under his belt – and I believe Tyson will beat Usyk – that may be a fight to be made,” Warren said. “But AJ’s got to re-establish himself before you can even think about fights like that.”
Saudi Arabia have already expressed interest in hosting a fight between Usyk and Fury.
“We’ve had preliminary discussions a couple of months ago and the challenge is going to be meeting the financial expectations of both guys,” Warren said to The Mirror.
“It’s going to be all about money. At the end of the day, it’s going to be about making it worthwhile for the guys. They’ve seen the money offered to the likes of golfers and so forth. This is not golf, this is much more dangerous and this is a unique sporting event, it’s sporting history.
“For them, they’ve just done this fight, but this is the ultimate prize in boxing, the undisputed heavyweight championship being fought for. It has to be much bigger because you’ve got two undefeated fighters and the first time, the four belts will be on the line.”
