WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury 32-0-1 (23) still wants to fight Anthony Joshua 24-3 (22) in what would be one of the biggest all-British showdowns of all time.
Fury has turned his sights to Joshua after WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk 20-0 (13) ruled out a return to the ring this year.
Last month the Ukrainian southpaw outpointed Joshua in Saudi Arabia to retain his unified championship but in a recent interview said that he needed time off to allow some niggling injuries to heal.
Fury was all but set to face Joshua last year before an independent arbiter ruled he owed Deontay Wilder a third fight.
And while some of the shine has come off a Joshua fight due to his recent losses – twice to Usyk on points and once to Andy Ruiz Jr by knockout – Fury still believes it is a bout that would capture the public’s imagination.
“Even though he has lost three of his last five fights, I still think people would like to see that fight,” Fury said to BT Sport.
“So if Oleksandr Usyk doesn’t want the fight for whatever reason, then we’ll go and offer AJ the fight.”
Fury has backed away from claims he made earlier this year that he was retired following his sixth-round knockout victory over mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte in London in April.
He is now claiming he will box later this year with an opponent to be named.
“I am going to be fighting very soon. We are still looking for an opponent,” Fury said.
“Usyk won’t be ready. Whoever is available, whoever [co-promoter] Frank Warren gets for me that’s who I will defend my WBC belt against.”
Meanwhile, the plan is for Joshua to return to the ring in December. Promoter Eddie Hearn has ruled out Joshua facing Whyte 28-3 (19) or American former WBC champion Deontay Wilder 42-2-1 (41) next, but hinted the could be future opponents.
“The Dillian Whyte fight is definitely easier to make than the Wilder fight. But they are, as always, going to be wanted to be paid as much money as possible,” the Matchroom Boxing boss told Metro.co.uk this week.
“But I think it is quite easy for me to make that fight. AJ wants that fight, Dillian wants that fight and that’s a fight we will definitely see next summer.
“I don’t want to throw out names but anyone in the top 15 [will be Joshua’s next opponent]. It is not going to be Wilder or Whyte next, but the others around the top 15 with the governing bodies.”
