Promoter Frank Warren said at today’s boxing press conference ahead of the huge December 21 rematch between heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk and former champ Tyson Fury that he will support Fury with whatever he decides to do should he taste defeat at the hands of Usyk a second time. Warren says he truly believes Fury will get the revenge win in December, and if that happens, we will very likely see a Usyk-Fury III – the trilogy fight in place in the contract.
But Warren has suggested what could happen for Fury is he loses to Usyk again. Warren feels Fury would box on if he lost a second time, and he said the massive all-British fight between he and Anthony Joshua “would still be there.”
“I genuinely believe Tyson will beat Usyk in December,” Warren told The Mail. “Even in losing a close first fight, he proved he can outbox the master boxer Usyk and can hurt him. And he knows he must cut out the showboating this time and get down to business straight away. But if it is another defeat, the Joshua fight will still be there, and the Saudis would still be very keen on that. Then there’s Daniel [Dubois], matured now and ready for anyone. I would find it awkward to make his fight with Tyson because they’re both my fighters, have been with me for ten years or more, and I love them. But if they want to do it, so be it.”
Warren said he would tell Fury to “go ahead” if he decided to call it a career and retire, but Warren feels Fury will box on whatever happens in December, as “he needs his boxing for the sake of his mental health problems.”
It’s tough to predict what any fighter will do next if they taste defeat in their upcoming fight, but Warren is probably right when he says Fury would likely box on if he did suffer a second loss to Usyk. And though it wouldn’t be as huge as it would have been a while back, Fury Vs. Joshua is still a big fight for which we would all tune in.
While Fury against current IBF heavyweight champ Dubois would be a fascinating fight, this is between the aging former champ and the young lion who is really coming into his own.
All eyes will be on Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 21, as the future of the heavyweight division will take shape with the result of the rematch between Usyk and Fury.
Both men have their supporters, people who feel they will get the win. We might get another great fight on December 21.
