Tyson Fury is ready to return to the ring from his boxing pension for a Brit blockbuster against compatriot Anthony Joshua. However, only under one condition – even if it sounds like cloud cuckoo land to the power of ten.
Should Joshua take revenge on the Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk on August 20 and recapture the WBA, WBO and IBF world championship belts, Fury would be ready for a mega fight. “I really hope he wins the fight against Usyk, then I can come out of retirement and fight him for free,” the Gypsy King trumpeted.
“But the conditions are these,” Fury said: “I want it at Wembley Stadium, I want there to be free entry and it’s on TV for free. Here in this country. I’m fighting him for free here, not abroad for even more money. Here for free, for the people.”
Only thing missing is free beer
Joshua vs. Usyk II will take place on August 20th in Jeddah/Saudi Arabia. The duel is advertised under the title “Rage at the Red Sea”. The Saudis had secured the hosting rights to the heavyweight hit by once again opening the suitcase of money. According to media reports, the desert state shelled out around $80 million, with Joshua taking 50 percent of the cake and Usyk taking the other half.
Fury’s desire for an “all-for-a-fight” against his compatriot sounds great, but it’s completely absurd. A fight of the English at Wembley Stadium would generate an enormous “live gate” in spectator revenue, even with moderate ticket prices. Even with pay-per-view, broadcasters would not have to call extortionate prices to break a record in the face of what could be the biggest fight in British boxing.
After all, there is a historical example of Fury’s illusion. Middleweight champion Tony “Man of Steel” Zale defended his title against Billy Pryor in the summer of 1941 in Milwaukee. Admission was free and the event was sponsored by a brewery. 135,000 spectators flocked to the fight – and one or the other beer flowed with them. So the Englishman may wonder why Fury forgot the most important thing in his demand: free beer.