Tyson Fury says he will ask US president Donald Trump to walk him to the ring for his British super-fight with Anthony Joshua.
Fury and Joshua faced off for the first time on Wednesday after a mostly-cordial launch press conference, which followed the long-awaited announcement of the ‘Battle of Britain’ for 11 December at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.
Joshua was determined to have the fight held in the UK while Fury took a more neutral stance, with his existing relationship with UFC chief and Zuffa Boxing co-founder Dana White - who was particularly keen to have the fight booked in the US - perhaps playing a factor.
Fury has also been a vocal advocate of Trump and made a surprise appearance at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, donning a hat with the slogan ‘Donald Trump for Prime Minister’. His cageside cameo in July came despite US visa issues stemming from links to alleged Irish crime boss and ex-promoter Daniel Kinahan, which Fury claimed were resolved after a joint effort from Trump and White.
And while it won’t be as easy to arrange as a ringwalk at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Fury is still keen to get the US president to Wales for fight night.
Asked whether he will reach out to Trump over the idea, Fury said: “Definitely. I'll make that offer to my old buddy, old pal, and we'll see if he's available.
“Probably unlikely because of the situation he's in at the moment, being the President of the United States.”
Fury also insists he isn’t worried about the cold of the winter night at the Principality, citing his appearance at WWE premium live event Clash at the Castle in 2022 - albeit that took place in the summer.
“It's got a roof on and it's got heating, so it won't be cold, so it won't even feel like Spurs,” said Fury, referencing his comeback fight against Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April.
“I was actually there for the wrestling, WWE, and because of the roof and the heating inside it wasn't cold at all, it was nice, I had a t-shirt on. It shouldn't be cold... crank the heating up, Frank [Warren]. Get that money out, boom, crank it up. Put it on 25 degrees.”
Trump’s potential involvement is not the only thing now up in the air, with White’s part in the super-fight proving a key sticking point. The bout was thrown into doubt last weekend, just days after it was announced, with Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn continuing to insist White was not involved despite Turki Alalshikh, who is financing the fight, saying he would “collaborate” with the UFC chief.
Fury said Joshua was a “yellow-bellied coward” amid suggestions that the fight had fallen through over the issue, with ‘The Gypsy King’ saying: “There's been a million excuses and a million things why they want this, and why they don't want that.”
But as for his own stance on the White saga, Fury insists he doesn’t care.
“I don't care if Mr Blobby or Santa Claus is involved,” he said. “There isn't anybody you could say is involved and I would say I didn't want to do it.
“If the Grim Reaper was involved, I'd say, ‘Crack on, let's do it.’ Come on already, let's just get the fight done. Does it matter if the Easter Bunny's promoting it? Let's just have a fight at the end of the day.
“This fight's been building up for about 10 years and everybody and his dog has tried to make this fight, and it hasn't happened. But your man, Turki Alalshikh, has made this fight happen. So, big respect because he just gets it done. It is what it is, he's got a big chequebook there and he's willing to spend it.”
