Tyson Fury 's next fight will be in the UK if he decides to step into the ring again, having announced his retirement back in April.
That is according to his UK promoter, Frank Warren, who put on his homecoming fight with Dillian Whyte that sold over 94,000 tickets at Wembley Stadium. The world heavyweight champion defended his belt for the second time when he faced the mandatory challenger in London, confirming in the build-up that he would be finished with the sport regardless of the result.
And since stopping his rival in the sixth round, Fury has continued to insist that he won't fight again. Nonetheless, he has continued training and there has been a belief in the industry that if Anthony Joshua were to beat Oleksandr Usyk for the rest of the heavyweight belts this summer, the pair could meet in a British super-fight.
But Fury has continuously rubbished rumours of a potential comeback and has no interest in fighting in Saudi Arabia, where Joshua's rematch with Usyk will take place in August. Now, his promoter Warren has argued that he will compete in the UK again if he ever gets back in the ring.
“We’ve done something on the Queensberry [Promotions] YouTube which will tell everybody what is happening today," Warren said during an appearance on talkSPORT's White and Jordan. “I think everybody is going to be happy with the interview.
“First of all, if Tyson fights, his next fight will be in the UK. What do I think of Saudi? We keep saying boxing and golf, every sport is there, everybody has gone there. Tennis players have gone there, they’ve had Formula One racing. Everybody is going there and they’re going there because they are paying well and that’s the bottom line of it all, they’re professional sportsmen.”
Are you excited for Tyson Fury's announcement on Tuesday night? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
There has been controversy over LIV Golf's ties to Saudi Arabia, with the argument being that they are helping to 'sportswash' the country's image. Once it is confirmed that Joshua vs Usyk 2 is taking place there, it is almost guaranteed that there will be similar backlash, which may be why promoter Eddie Hearn refused to directly confirm the location in recent interviews.
Hearn has admitted that the fight will take place in August in 'the Middle East' but did not give an exact date or location. However, it is believed that it will be hosted at the Jeddah Super Dome on either August 13 or 20.
“They’re all there for the money," Warren continued. "Is it morally right or wrong? Whose morals are we going by? Our own government are out there trying to negotiate an [oil] deal. These guys’ careers, unlike most sportsmen, are over quite quickly. They have a small window, boxers have a small window, are getting hit, and then they have to retire."
Fury has already competed in Saudi Arabia before, albeit in a pre-scripted WWE event against Braun Strowman. In 2019, he travelled to Riyadh and was complimentary of his time in the country, where he was put up in a luxury hotel.