Tyson Fury talks about his ‘next opponent’ as a big Zuffa announcement is expected
Adding more excitement to the long-awaited fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, the Gypsy King has revealed his next opponent as he prepares to sign a major deal with the new group Zuffa.
The Fury family is back in action: Tyson called out Joshua after his latest return, his brother Tommy fought through a hand injury to beat Eddie Hall, and their dad John has been sparring with just about everyone.
While fans eagerly wait for a date to be set for the “confirmed” Fury vs. Joshua fight, both fighters are working hard to get in top shape. But after making an unexpected stop at the White House for UFC Freedom 250, Fury shared his plans for upcoming fights, and Joshua seems to have slipped a bit down the list.
As usual, the ongoing rivalry between Fury and Joshua might stay unresolved a little longer, as timing isn’t lining up. With the calendars shifting and both boxing stars preparing, backup plans are getting closer to happening.
For Fury, that could mean setting aside the fight for Britain’s pride and aiming for the WBC title instead. At UFC Freedom 250, Fury said who he’d fight next if Joshua isn’t ready by November.
“I’m back as number one WBC challenger. If Rabbit Face [Oleksander Usyk] pulls out of his fight with [Agit] Kabayel, then I’m in. If the Joshua fight doesn’t happen for any reason, I’ll go for the three-time world champ belt against Kabayel, and we’ll take it to Wembley.”
Kabayel currently holds the WBC Heavyweight belt after a knockout win over Zhilei Zhang. He’s undefeated (23-0) and was supposed to get a chance to face Fury back in 2020. But that got postponed because Fury did a trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder.
Fury also wants a rematch with Usyk, saying it would be a top priority after beating Joshua.
This doesn’t mean the AJ fight is dead — but if recent hints are true, Fury might be about to sign a deal that could complicate the big November showdown.
After stepping out of retirement again, Fury was seen at UFC Freedom 250 with famous promoter Dana White, as they seem to be teaming up with Zuffa Boxing. White, best known for UFC, has been trying to shake up boxing, and was confident about Fury’s presence at the White House.
“Look, judge me on January 1, 2027, for what we’ve done this year with boxing,” White said. “Other guys talk a lot, but I keep quiet and do my thing. Just watch. We’ll have an announcement soon.”
Fury added, “I’m going to let Dana do the talking, but it’s a huge announcement.”
When asked about how this might affect the Joshua fight, White said he is involved in making it happen.
“For weeks, I’ve been hearing I’m not part of the fight. That’s just wrong.”
Fury also sounded positive about Zuffa’s role, which could help finally set a date for the big fight.
“I’m really excited for this fight. It’s been over ten years in the making,” Fury said. “For some reason, it hasn’t happened yet. Let’s hope it happens very soon.”