"It is very, very important that Tyson Fury, having done his last five fights in the US, that he goes back and does a fight in the UK," says his US-based promoter Bob Arum
Tuesday 26 October 2021 18:36, UK
Tyson Fury will return to the ring against Dillian Whyte or Joe Joyce in the UK in April, says promoter Bob Arum.
Fury demolished Deontay Wilder to end their classic rivalry and emerge as the unbeaten WBC heavyweight champion and the consensus No 1 in the division.
Oleksandr Usyk took the IBF, WBA and WBO titles from Anthony Joshua and they are set for a rematch in early 2022, meaning Fury must look elsewhere for his next opponent.
"Who Fury fights next will be determined by Fury," Top Rank's Arum, who promotes the WBC champion in the US, told Sky Sports.
"If the fight is in the UK, I would think Whyte would be a good possibility, as well as Joyce."
Whyte withdrew from a fight planned for Saturday against Otto Wallin with a shoulder injury, but he still holds the WBC interim heavyweight title and is hoping to finally receive his first world title opportunity against Fury.
The WBC said, before Whyte's withdrawal from fighting Wallin, that Fury would have to take on the interim champion if he was unable to agree a fight for the undisputed title with Usyk.
Whyte had called on the WBC to "force my position".
Arum says Fury vs Whyte "would be very attractive in the UK," but is now awaiting clarification from the WBC about the Brixton man's status and availability to challenge for the WBC belt.
Fury's other option, Arum says, is the unbeaten Joyce who has stopped Daniel Dubois and Carlos Takam in his previous two fights. Fury and Joyce share Frank Warren as their UK promoter.
Arum believes Fury should stage a homecoming fight next: "It is very, very important that Tyson, having done his last five fights in the US, that he goes back and does a fight in the UK.
"He is a Brit, he has plenty of fans in the UK, and if he does a fight in the UK then comes back to the US, he will bring 10,000 Brits with him.
"American fans have to learn to sing like the Brits!"
He explained about negotiations for Fury's return: "Frank Warren is going to Manchester to meet Fury to work out a date. It could be March or April, but no later than April.
"A date that would be appealing to us in the US, even if the fight took place in the UK, would be the middle of April because we have a college basketball tournament called March Madness which the country goes crazy for. It is tough to find a date for a big fight [during March Madness].
"We will figure out who and when Tyson will fight next."
The dream undisputed championship fight to crown the division's king would currently be between Fury and Usyk, although Joshua can regain his belts if he wins the rematch.
Arum said: "You ask anybody in the world: 'Who is the heavyweight champion? Who is the best?'
"There would be close to unanimity in saying Fury, but that doesn't denigrate Usyk who is a friend of mine.
"He is the one guy who would be the most competitive with Fury.
"Hopefully next year that fight can happen.
"With all due respect, I don't give Joshua much of a chance in a rematch with Usyk."
October 31 - Top Rank in New York
Jose Zepeda vs Josue Vargas
November 6 - Top Rank in Las Vegas
Mikaela Mayer vs Maiva Hamadouche - IBF and WBO super-featherweight titles
November 6 - BOXXER in Liverpool
Super-lightweight tournament
November 20 - BOXXER in London
Richard Riakporhe vs Olanrewaju Durodola
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November 20 - Top Rank in Las Vegas
Terence Crawford vs Shawn Porter - WBO welterweight title
December 11 - BOXXER
Savannah Marshall
Claressa Shields vs Ema Kozin
December 11 - Top Rank in Las Vegas
Vasiliy Lomachenko vs Richard Commey
December 17 - Top Rank in Montreal
Artur Beterbiev vs Marcus Browne - IBF and WBC light-heavyweight titles
February 26 - Top Rank in Glasgow
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall - undisputed super-lightweight title
