WBC heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury says he will absolutely fight twice in 2021, regardless of whether a megafight against Anthony Joshua comes together.
Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs) hasn’t stepped into the ring for more than a year now, since the anniversary of his magnificent knockout of Deontay Wilder passed Monday. The 32-year-old told ESPN on Wednesday he is dedicated to battling twice in 2021, after a potential trilogy bout against Wilder in December dropped through.
“It was just a major mess-up,” said Fury, on the Wilder trilogy. “I should have boxed, because I have been so inactive. I’ve been outside for over a year. By the time that I fight , looking at maybe June when this Joshua battle occurs, that will be a year and six months out of the ring, which isn’t ideal preparation for any superfight.”
A matchup between Fury and Joshua (24-1, 22 KOs), that retains the WBA, WBO and IBF titles, would be a blockbuster event. Although talks have been trending in the ideal direction, based on recent comments from Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn, Fury said he’s not convinced however that the fight will occur, though the two sides continue to negotiate.
“They have had a full year to try to make this fight happen,” Fury said. “Since the last Wilder fight, before the Wilder struggle, they were speaking about a fight possibly between me and Joshua. They’ve had a full year to make something happen, and it has not happened as of yet. It is exactly what it is. We are no further forward today than we were a year ago.
“How [COVID-19] is at the present time, I do not think [discussions ] got much to do with all the fighters. It is to do with the venue, date, place, site fees. It is to do with everything but the fight itself.”
When it’s in June or at a later date, Fury said the Joshua fight will come together at a certain stage. Either way, he’s looking forward to fighting double in 2021, as 2020 was the first year he returned to the sport after a break in 2018 in which he neglected to struggle more than once.
“If this fight does not occur this summer, it has got to happen sooner or later,” Fury said. “But best Rank has to give me two conflicts this year. I will fight twice on [Top Rank network partner] ESPN. I really don’t care that it is. If it’s not Joshua, we’re seeking to fight in April or early May, and the end of the year. So, 2021 is looking bright”