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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Oliver King

Tyson Fury next fight options emerge including Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte 2

Following his TKO knockout of Dillian Whyte last weekend, Tyson Fury once again teased with the idea of retirement. But after winning in front of 94,000 people inside Wembley, surely the 33-year-old can't end his career there?

There have been numerous opponents the Gypsy King has been linked to, including UFC Heavyweight Champion, Francis Ngannou, and also Oleksandr Usyk, who beat Anthony Joshua in their bout in September last year.

Lets not forget that back in September, Fury outlined his dream five-fight plan which included a Deontay Wilder fight in Vegas on October 9, Whyte in December, most likely in Cardiff, a double-header with Joshua in 2022 and finally Chisora, once again in Cardiff, most likely next winter.

READ MORE: Frank Warren issues brutal jibe to Dillian Whyte after calls for Tyson Fury rematch

He defeated Wilder and Whyte with some ease, and while facing Joshua may depend on how he comes through his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk, hanging up his gloves just two fights into a five-fight plan has raised eyebrows.

MEN Sport takes a look at the potential options for the Gypsy King for his next fight if he chooses not to retire:

Francis Ngannou

The most obvious contest - based on the fact they stood side-by-side in the ring together after Fury's win over Whyte, would be a fight with UFC star Francis Ngannou.

His last performance inside the octagon resulted in a unanimous decision win over the interim UFC Heavyweight Champion, Cyril Gane, defending and unifying the UFC Heavyweight title.

The Cameroonian MMA fighter travelled over from Las Vegas to watch the fight ringside, before standing alongside Fury following the knockout win to talk up a crossover contest.

Speaking shortly after his fight with Whyte, Fury said: "This is going to be one very special fight, it'll be something never before seen in the history of our sport - we're not talking two guys around 140lb, I'm 270lb, he's 270lb. It's going to be an explosive fight when it happens."

Following his last fight in January this year, Ngannou is going through the process of allowing his body to recover from the 25-minute bout, so a fight could be further away than we initially expected between the pair.

The two have talked this up before but the fight would strictly be an exhibition bout, with a mix of MMA and boxing rules.

Oleksandr Usyk

The probability of this fight happening will all hinge on Oleksandr Usyk's rematch with Anthony Joshua, but the Ukrainian would be the most intriguing route back in for Fury if he retains his WBA, WBO and IBF world title belts.

The 35-year-old stunned the Englishman back in September last year, becoming the unified heavyweight champion at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, winning via unanimous decision over 12 rounds.

Fury possesses the WBC strap and so any fight with Usyk, if he comes through his rematch unscathed against Joshua, would be for the undisputed titles, a first in the four-belt era in the heavyweight division.

There was a time when Fury did not even want to entertain fighting Usyk, then a cruiserweight when dismissed by the Gypsy King. But the Ukrainian's win over Joshua appears to have changed Fury's view on Usyk and has insisted Joshua to step aside to allow this bout to happen.

Oleksandr Usyk has been named as the only fighter who can defeat Tyson Fury. ((Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images))
Anthony Joshua

This is the fight boxing fans across the whole world would love to see. Two British heavyweights going at each other after years of conflict whether it be online or face to face, this is the fight fans want to see.

Fury did say after beating Whyte that he has no interest in a fight against the winner of Usyk vs Joshua 2 for the undisputed heavyweight championship - but few will believe he truly means it.

There has been plenty said between Fury and Joshua in the past, with the Gypsy King labelling his British rival as 'just a body-builder'.

When asked about the possibility of facing the 32-year-old, Fury said: "I'm the best heavyweight in the world, the better athlete, the most devastating puncher, the more flamboyant personality, the most handsome.

The back-and-forth between these two has been like a tango over the years, with Joshua talking up unification bout legacy back in 2020 after defeating Kubrat Pulev.

'I want a challenge. It's not about the opponent. It's about the legacy and the belt. Whoever's got the belt, I'd love to compete with him, if that is Tyson Fury, let it be Tyson Fury. It's no big deal", said Joshua.

Retire?

Look, there is every chance that Fury has had enough and is focused more on family than fighting. He has said many times in the lead up to the fight with Whyte that he planned to retire to spend more time with his family.

The Morecambe fighter admitted that before his fight against Deontay Wilder, he told his wife, Paris, that his bout with the American would be his last, so there is the option the same could happen again this time round.

With that being said, the 33-year-old has had an excellent career, and will go down as one of the greatest boxers to have ever graced the ring, walking away with 32 wins and on draw in his 33 professional fights.

Frank Warren, told BT Sport : "If it was going to be the last fight, it'll be the last fight. That's his decision, he's the guy getting in the ring. If it is his last fight, he has gone out on such a high."

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