Fury explains reasons for snubbing Joshua and Usyk fights

Tyson Fury says he became 'grumpy' in brief retirement

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Tyson Fury claimed there was no ‘glamour’ in a hotly-anticipated Battle of Britain fight with ‘coward’ Anthony Joshua and also suggested he gains no credibility facing the undefeated Oleksandr Usyk. The Gypsy King is instead preparing for a trilogy fight with long-term rival Derek Chisora on December 3 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Fury received some backlash in boxing circles when announcing Chisora as his next opponent, after sealing convincing victories over ‘Del Boy’ earlier in his career. Fury is a huge favourite to defend his WBC heavyweight title against veteran Chisora on his return to the ring next month after his brutal knockout of Dillian Whyte in April. 

And many of Fury’s fans would have preferred to see him take on former champion Joshua or Ukrainian Usyk in a more competitive fight. Negotiations broke down with Joshua’s team over a fight that would have ended their long-running feud, while an undisputed battle against Usyk has now been earmarked for 2023.

Fury has revealed that he plans to fight Usyk next year, despite not seeing the rewards in defeating the 20-0 star. “We will have three fights next year,” Fury said in an interview for Frank Warren’s Queensberry promotion. “I will get this man out of the way first. Usyk is top of the shopping list providing I get through this fight with Chisora and it’s not another rematch.

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“I know what people will say when I flatten Usyk. ‘He was too small’, ‘it was a mis-match’, whatever. How am I going to get credit for beating a man half my size? It is all for me to lose and all for him to gain.

“There is no glamour in fighting a coward,” Fury added when asked about taking on Joshua. “I don’t fight cowards, I only fight real men. My glamour fight was taking on 43-0 Deontay Wilder in America.

“This other bum fight over here with Joshua was like a Sunday roast, people only respect it in England. He has a lack of balls and if he didn’t, it would be Fury vs Joshua and not Fury vs Chisora.”

Unbeaten Fury has established himself as a boxing great after conquering Wladimir Klitschko in Germany and defeating American knockout artist Wilder in an incredible comeback trilogy. But former featherweight champion Barry McGuigan believes Fury must prove he can dispatch the likes of Usyk to cement his status as a true legend of the sport.

“Tyson Fury’s trilogy victories over Deontay Wilder and his Wladimir Klitschko win have put him on the path to greatness but fighting Oleksandr Usyk will take him to the legends’ table,” McGuigan wrote in his Mirror column. “Fury is a proven world champion, but if he wants his record to stack up alongside the greats he has to make the big fights happen.”

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