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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Aman Mahmood

Tyson Fury hints at preferred opponents as boxing comeback gathers pace

Tyson Fury has indicated that his priority is to fight for a third world title, with the Briton lining up either a third fight with Oleksandr Usyk or a domestic clash with Fabio Wardley in a bid to become three-time heavyweight champion of the world.

Fury - who has yet again announced a return to boxing after previously retiring five times - insists he is in preparation for battle and war in 2026.

For the 37-year-old to accomplish his goal, as it stands, he must fight either Usyk - holder of the WBA, WBC and IBF belts - in a trilogy bout or Wardley, who holds the WBO belt after Usyk vacated it in November.

The ‘Gypsy King’ seems typically confident that he will be fighting in the near future, stating that he is in week four of his training camp.

Fury said: “Preparation for battle and war, incoming.

“Three times!”

He also detailed how he did a four mile run, 15 rounds of boxing, followed by a massage and an ice bath.

He said: “I think that your recovery and your preparation in between and after training is as important as the actual training.

“I know everyone’s going to try and work hard in the gym but if you can’t work hard tomorrow and the next day after that, then it’s a problem.

“Prevention is worth more than cure, and I’m trying to prevent injuries early on in my camp.”

The heavyweight division currently has many alternative avenues it can go down this calendar year.

Usyk hasn’t fought since he brutally knocked out Briton Daniel Dubois at Wembley last summer to become a three-time undisputed world champion.

Daniel Dubois was beaten by Oleksandr Usyk (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Wire)

Wardley - who is yet to lose in his 21 professional bouts - told BBC Sport: “He (Fury) wants a little warm-up fight and then to try and grab a world title around the summer time.

Fabio Wardley celebrates victory following the WBO heavyweight championship bout against Joseph Parker (not pictured) (Steven Paston/PA) (PA Wire)

“There's only two options for that - me and Usyk. As a plan he might try to snatch mine off me and then try and get hold of the Usyk fight again.”

The WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has also said that Deontay Wilder - who has also vowed a resurrection of his own in boxing - is "welcome" to challenge Usyk for the WBC belt he once held.

According to Brunch Boxing, Wilder is now in talks to kickstart his comeback by fighting British boxing legend Derek Chisora this Spring.

Should Usyk vacate another belt, Fury would have an alternative option to seize a third world crown, while Wardley is likely to defend his belt against another fighter before any potential meeting with ‘The Gypsey King’.

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