Tyson Fury has set his sights on revenge against Oleksandr Usyk or an all-British showdown with Anthony Joshua after confirming he will make his return to boxing in 2026.
It comes as Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, took to social media on Wednesday to reveal Fury had informed him he will make his comeback next year after stepping away from the sport.
Fury announced he had retired from boxing in January earlier this year, one month on from his unanimous decision defeat to Usyk in the pair’s heavyweight rematch.
The 36-year-old has since teased a return by posting footage of him back in the gym alongside trainer SugarHill Steward.
“Who would I rather fight right now? Usyk. I want my revenge in England, that’s all I want,” Fury told Boxing News while in attendance at the IBA Pro Event in Istanbul.
“I want my fair shout, and I don’t believe I’ve got a fair shout the last two times. I don’t know what I’m going to have to do, because I can’t let it go to a decision.
“That’s the one I want, but if I don’t get that then it will be (Anthony) Joshua, the biggest British boxing fight that will ever happen.
“It would break all records and it would sell out 100,000 at Wembley in an hour and it’s a fight I think can happen, if I did decide to come back and the deal was right.”
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Usyk is currently gearing up to face IBF heavyweight world champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on July 19, with Fury seemingly uninterested in a prospective meeting with the Londoner.
“If I did come back, hypothetically speaking, if I was to return and box Daniel Dubois, he wouldn’t land a glove on me, it would be a one-sided beat-down,” he added.
“I wish him luck in his fight against Usyk, but styles make fights and his style and my style don’t gel. I would annihilate him.
Alalshikh paved the way for another familiar period of hope and speculation over what might lie in store for Fury next as he confirmed the Gypsy King’s pending return on X.
“The ‘Gypsy King’ will be back!!! I talked with him, and I have his word to have him in Riyadh Season in 2026. We have a rabbit to hunt!” Alalshikh wrote.
Tyson Fury previously hinted at a return to the ring in a video posted on his social media, in which he is seen linking up with trainer SugarHill Steward
Earlier this week Fury had already suggested he would only return to boxing to fight Usyk in the United Kingdom. The Ukrainian beat Fury twice last year, the first of which seeing him become undisputed heavyweight champion.
Asked about his thoughts on Usyk facing Daniel Dubois for the undisputed world heavyweight on July 19, Fury brought up the possibility of a return.
“Dubois is very young and ambitious. Usyk is very experienced. But he’s coming off two fights with me, which is debatable which he won them or not, which he didn’t, but he got the decision which is all that matters,” he said.
“If I was going to come back, I would come back for Usyk, but I want a fair result in England. That would be the fight I want next.
“I don’t want any favours, I want a fair fight and a fair result which I know I didn’t get. I thought I won that second fight by five rounds. I watched it literally 250 times and each way, I never see there’s a way he won. But, they can do what they want.”
Fury reaffirms his position of retirement questioning why he would wish to return with views of Lake Como. Credit Instagram: @TysonFury
Earlier when speaking to the media, Fury said: “What would I be coming back for? There’s not much to come back for. Does just the love of the sport overthrow my health?
“You’ve got to worry about your health. Your health is your wealth.”
Fury previously announced his retirement in April 2022 after beating Dillian Whyte but returned six months later to fight Derek Chisora.
The two-time heavyweight world champion won his first title when he defeated Wladimir Klitschko in 2015.
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Three years later he returned to the ring and went on to beat Deontay Wilder in their second fight in 2020 to become WBC champion, before defending his title against Wilder again in 2021, then against Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora in 2022.
He overcame a big scare against Francis Ngannou in 2023, before losing twice to Usyk last year.
Fury never fought Anthony Joshua but says he does not regret going up against his compatriot and believes attention surrounding if he will return shows “how relevant I am”.
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“As far as I’m concerned, I’m happy, I’ve won everything I’ve had to do,” he added.
“My last fight was a clear victory for The Gypsy King. Anyone in boxing can see that. Political, whatever you want to call it.
“As soon as I saw the result I thought: ‘What is going on here?’ But I accept it, I’m a man. I don’t make excuses, on with the next thing.
“I went home to my family. I’m in Morecambe, I train twice a day. I drink when I want, I eat when I want. I’ve earned the right to.”
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