Tyson Fury flexes for fans during media training for his Ring/WBC heavyweight title defense against Dillian Whyte in London. Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images
Tyson Fury, the former undisputed heavyweight world champion, issued a challenge on Monday to former champion Anthony Joshua, who just lost for the second straight time to Ring world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk on August 20.
The Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs) still holds the WBC title and offered it to Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs) in a social media post.
Call @anthonyjoshua @WBCBoxing @frankwarren_tv @trboxing #uk ????✅pic.twitter.com/P4Yw4mtW1R
— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) September 5, 2022
“The Gypsy King” made it known that he plans to fight again in the coming months, after “retiring” by relinquishing The Ring belt on his 34th birthday, Friday, August 12, to The Ring. Soon after, Fury decided “not to back down” and now apparently opened the door for Joshua.
“I think everyone has heard that I am going to be fighting soon in the next few months,” Fury said on Twitter. “I think before announcing an opponent I need to do this just in case.
“Anthony Joshua, I know you just lost a fight with Usyk and you have no fights at the moment, and I would like to give you the opportunity to fight me for the WBC and lineal world heavyweight championship. championship in the coming months.
Fury noted that Joshua is coming off a title fight, so he’s “very fit and you’re ready,” according to Fury, “and I’ll give you a few months notice. If he’s interested, I’ll send him the date and we can fight for the WBC world heavyweight championship. Let me know if you are interested.
“If not, I will select another opponent.”
Fury showed some interest in fighting Usyk after he beat Joshua again last month.
If Joshua accepts, and some of the political wrangling that usually accompanies mega-fights like that can be resolved, it would probably be the biggest fight in British history.
Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been working for Ring Magazine/RingTV.com since October 1997 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. You can follow him on twitter @JSantoliquito [twitter.com].
