Tyson Fury names alternative opponents as Anthony Joshua talks reach crunch point: ‘Freak doesn’t want to fight’
Tyson Fury has named three heavyweights he would like to face in November, if his super-fight with Anthony Joshua falls through.
Joshua and Fury have been mooted to square off at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on 20 November, despite their bout being the biggest between two British stars this generation.
Negotiations have proven difficult, however. Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has said “AJ”’s contract is for a fight in the UK, while Fury’s promoter Frank Warren has said the “Gypsy King”’s deal is more flexible.
Despite the uncertainty, Shane Fury recently insisted that his brother will box on 20 November regardless of whether Joshua is the opponent. And now, Tyson himself has doubled down on that idea.
“One thing for sure is I won’t wait for a sausage, who has been knocked spark out by Daniel Dubois, for long,” Fury said in an Instagram video.
“I’ve waited 10 years for this, and I’ve been ready every single time. One thing I won’t be doing is wasting my later years, at 38 years old, with a freak who doesn’t want to fight.
“I will move on, and there are plenty of world champions out there who do want to fight and do want to make some money, so I’ll be giving them a knock. There are plenty of men.
“Agit Kabayel, [Filip] Hrgovic, Daniel Dubois, whoever else there is, they’re all very brave men and all looking for a few quid. Maybe I’ll give them a call and they can fight me in November, as this is going nowhere.”
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Dubois is scheduled to box Fabio Wardley on 17 October, however, in a WBO-title rematch at London’s O2 Arena, surely ruling him out of a November return.
Hrgovic boxed as recently as Saturday, fighting from behind to stop Moses Itauma in an upset at the O2, winning the vacant IBF belt and handing the young Briton his first loss.
Hrgovic faced off with WBC champion Kabayel in the ring after his victory, as the latter eyes his first fight since being awarded the belt – following Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to vacate the gold.
Fury, 38, last boxed in July, stopping a 47-year-old Mariusz Wach in round seven. That bout took place in Thailand but was broadcast nowhere.
It occurred one day before Joshua, 37, stopped Kristian Prenga in two rounds. In the first round, however, Joshua was dropped twice by the Albanian unknown in a stunning turn of events.
That fight was also Joshua’s first since he survived a fatal car crash in December, an accident in Nigeria that killed two of his teammates.
