27 May 2023

Battle of Britain may be back on

11:02 am on 27 May 2023
British boxer Tyson Fury celebrates after defeating US boxer Deontay Wilder in the seventh round during their World Boxing Council (WBC) Heavyweight Championship Title boxing match.

British boxer Tyson Fury celebrates after defeating US boxer Deontay Wilder in the seventh round during their World Boxing Council (WBC) Heavyweight Championship Title boxing match. Photo: AFP

WBC world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury says he wants to fight fellow Brit Anthony Joshua at Wembley in September and has sent him a contract.

Fury, 34, has not fought since stopping Derek Chisora in the 10th round at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in December.

A fight with Oleksandr Usyk, the IBF, IBO, WBO and WBA champion, was expected to happen in 2023 but fell through.

"A few days ago I sent a draft contract to Anthony Joshua for a fight in September at Wembley," Fury said.

In a post on Instagram, Fury said it's a fight everyone wants to see.

"Come on AJ let's give the world what they want to see. This time I'm not going to make a million videos and keep putting pressure on. The ball is now on your side."

A fight between Fury and two-time world champion Joshua, 33, has long been talked about, but never materialised.

Fury set a deadline in September, which was not met, and said at the time that it was officially over for Joshua.

British heavyweight boxing challenger Anthony Joshua.

Photo: AFP

"He is now out in the cold with the wolfpack. Forget about it. Always knew you didn't have the minerals to fight the 'Gypsy King'."

Unbeaten Fury fought Chisora instead and afterwards faced-off with Usyk, who had been ringside, with a bout between the two lined up for Wembley on 29 April.

Usyk, also unbeaten with 20 wins from 20 fights, had agreed a 70/30 purse split in Fury's favour with terms for a rematch the only outstanding issue.

Joshua has twice lost to the 36-year-old Usyk, but then said Fury could "redeem himself from the circus" by agreeing to fight him.

"There's no better time to get Fury in the ring than now because he needs me to redeem himself from this circus, this let-down," said Joshua.

"He needs me so there's no better time than for him to call my name out and I'm someone that will take on any challenge."

Fury has 33 wins and one draw from 34 bouts, while Joshua - who beat American Jermaine Franklin on points in London in April - has 25 wins and three defeats in his 28-fight professional career after winning Olympic gold as an amateur in 2012.

-BBC