Tyson Fury could be tempted out of retirement by a British heavyweight showdown against Anthony Joshua, believes Top Rank COO Brad Jacobs.
Fury made headlines in January when he took to social media to claim he had ‘retired’ again following his rematch defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in December.
The announcement was taken with a pinch of salt by the boxing world after Fury had also ‘retired’ following his knockout victory over Dillian Whyte in April 2022, before returning to the ring six months later.
Had Fury won or lost against Usyk, a collision with Joshua felt as close to fruition as it had ever been. And there are still hopes the pair could meet at some stage in the not-so-distant future with both in the latter stages of their glittering careers.
“He looks like he’s happy retired and doing it, but he’s done that before,” Jacobs told Sky Sports.
“Nobody is in Tyson’s head, only himself, of course. I think an Anthony Joshua fight gets him out of retirement, if it’s the right situation and he feels right about it.
“But if not God bless him, he’s earned what he’s got.
“I believe there is the potential for it. What happens nobody knows. Tyson has done shocking things before, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he did it again.”
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Frank Warren says whoever wins the heavyweight fight between Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker will inevitably face Oleksandr Usyk to unify the belts
While Fury is coming off back-to-back defeats to Usyk, Joshua himself is just months removed from his fifth-round knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium last September.
It was a shock result that blunted what appeared as Joshua’s return to his explosive best after statement finishes against Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.
Joshua has made no secret of his desire to face Fury before the end of his career, but that prospect remains theoretical for the time being.
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A look back at some of the dramatic highlights from Fury’s rollercoaster career
“We’ll ask the question,” Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports. “Frank Warren was [saying]: ‘Well, he’s retired’. I know but it’s still my job to say we’re going to make our decision, just double-checking there’s no chance he’s going to fight.
“It’s not ‘we will make Fury an offer to get him out of retirement’. We’ll double-check.
“We’ll have our eyes fixed on Dubois-Parker in many ways. But that’s what AJ wants. He wants to fight for the world heavyweight title. So that’s the number one priority.
“Kabayel-Zhang [winner], he’s pretty relaxed about who he fights. At this stage he’s about trying to become a three-time world heavyweight champion. He missed out on that opportunity last time and he’d love another crack.”
Saturday night could see the heavyweight landscape alter again when Dubois defends his IBF belt against Joseph Parker, while Agit Kabayel faces Zhilei Zhang with aspirations of thrusting himself into world title contention.
Daniel Dubois v Joseph Parker and the Artur Beterbiev v Dmitry Bivol rematch will be live on Saturday February 22 on Sky Sports Box Office. Book now!
