Tyson Fury apparently isn’t keen on waiting until December for a much-rumored career payday in the Middle East.
On Thursday, the WBC titlist from Manchester, England, took to social media to implore his British promoter, Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions, to stage a “stadium fight” in the Northwest section of his homeland in the summer.
Fury’s mandate comes amid fervent discussion of him potentially fighting WBO, WBA, IBF, IBO champion Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine at the end of the year in the Middle East. Their fight has been proposed as part of a “super” card that would also feature former titlists Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua in a separate match.
The Middle East has emerged in recent years as a lucrative destination for prizefights, and their latest dangling carrot to boxing’s top heavyweights has unintentionally brought proceedings in the division to a standstill. Joshua, for example, has publicly announced that he does not intend to fight until December, although his promoter, Eddie Hearn, has suggested the possibility that his charge could still fight in the summer.
Apparently, Fury, who has not fought since a beatdown of Derek Chisora in December, is not keen on sitting on his hands for the rest of the year and wants his promoter to do something about it.
“Back in the gym today and here’s my challenge: I challenge Frank Warren to get me a fight in the North West of England anytime soon,” Fury said in an Instagram story. “July, August—whenever you’re ready, Frank, I’ll be ready.
“Let’s do it at a football stadium. Not a problem. Get me an opponent and I’m knocking him the f— out, Frank. There you go Frank Warren. Make it happen, Frank. Because the so-called big dogs don’t want no f—— smoke until December, and I’m ready to fight now! Come on!”
Fury’s latest outburst follows on the heels of a recent one in which he criticized his divisional peers. He lambasted former heavyweight titlist Andy Ruiz for demanding $20 million for a fight, calling the Mexican American a “silly little b—-.”
Fury was originally supposed to fight Usyk in April, but talks fell apart at the 11th hour.
“Since I’ve been away from boxing, boxing’s gone to a load of sh!t,” Fury said “Absolute sh!t. I’ve got to give everybody in the country something to look forward to. A proper f—— event, because we haven’t had one since I last fought in December. ’Nuff said.”
Sean Nam is the author of the forthcoming book Murder on Federal Street: Tyrone Everett, the Black Mafia, and the Last Golden Age of Philadelphia Boxing.