Tyson Fury is officially back as a heavyweight contender, threatening a third fight with reigning unified world champion and fierce rival, Oleksandr Usyk. Now, the Ukrainian has shared his thoughts on the return of ‘The Gypsy King’.
Fury walked away from the sport after losing his world title and suffering the first two defeats of his career to Usyk in back-to-back heavyweight classics during 2024, but many fans refused to believe that he was truly done.
Predictably, after a 16-month layoff, Fury made his ring return on Saturday night, where he comfortably outboxed Russian powerhouse Arslanbek Makhmudov, hoping to tee up the long-awaited showdown with Anthony Joshua and a potential third bout with Usyk.
Speaking to Ring Magazine, Usyk admitted that he only watched the first six rounds of the contest, before stating that he is ‘ready’ to take on the 37-year-old for a third occasion.
“I watched only six rounds, the first six rounds, because after six rounds I go to church and pray. I heard Tyson after say ‘maybe trilogy fight for [with] Usyk’, I am ready, but after fight with Rico [Verhoeven] because for now, my focus is only on 23 May.”
The undefeated champion then went on to explain why he believes Fury’s return was needed, as this era of the heavyweight division approaches its final chapter.
“Tyson is a crazy man, but his comeback, it’s the fourth or fifth time that Tyson has come back.
It is good. Now it is good, this is a needed player [in the division] because ‘Greedy Belly’, all the heavyweights we have now, I think we have one or two years before a change of era.
“[Fabio] Wardley, [Moses] Itauma, young guys. We go rest, play soccer, golf, I don’t know, drink beer.”
Usyk fights Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza on Saturday, May 23, defending his WBC world title against the Dutch kickboxing legend, who will become the most inexperienced heavyweight world champion of all time if he pulls off the unlikely upset.