Tyson Fury eyeing 'destroy mode' in Oleksandr Usyk rematch, says he and Anthony Joshua 'have to fight'
Updated 09/12/2024 at 09:14 GMT
Tyson Fury's confidence is sky-high as he looks ahead to his world heavyweight title rematch against Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday, December 21. He also insists that a highly-anticipated fight with Anthony Joshua must happen in the future. Fury was speaking with Laura Woods, Anthony Crolla and Steve Bunce ahead of the WBA featherweight title clash between Nick Ball and Ronny Rios.
Fury says it would be 'travesty' if he didn't fight Joshua
Video credit: TNT Sports
Tyson Fury is determined to right the wrongs of his split-decision undisputed heavyweight title fight against Oleksandr Usyk, and insists that he and Anthony Joshua "have to fight".
There has been plenty of talk about the prospect of a mouth-watering all-British heavyweight clash between Fury and Joshua, with the latter most recently on the receiving end of a fifth-round stoppage against Daniel Dubois for the IBF title.
However, Fury gave fresh hope that the highly-anticipated fight could take place and should not depend on results in the ring.
“At the end of the day, it would be a travesty if we didn't fight,” Fury said of Joshua on TNT Sports.
“No matter if he loses 20 more fights. If he doesn't win another fight and has 10 years away from the game, it doesn't matter, we have to fight.
“I did an interview recently and said, 'look it doesn't matter if we're 50 years old, we'll have to fight'. I lost out on one big fight already with David Price.
“He was a British hope at one stage, that was building up and that would've been a massive fight here or in Manchester. But that's gone now, and it would be a travesty if we didn't fight each other.”
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Warren: Fury v Usyk rematch will deliver decision that 'won't be debatable'
Video credit: TNT Sports
For now, Fury’s focus will be on avenging that split-decision defeat to Usyk when the two boxers contest a rematch in Riyadh on Saturday, December 21 – live on TNT Sports Box Office.
The 36-year-old sounded an ominous warning to the Ukrainian, and will adopt more of a gung-ho approach which will be music to the ears of fight fans.
“I'm ready to rock and roll,” he explained.
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“I don't need a 12-week camp, I've been boxing all my life. I'm ready to go tonight, tomorrow, next weekend, Sunday, Monday, Wednesday – it doesn't really matter.
“I can come in the ring at 30 stone and do 15 rounds. I'm a natural at it and all I need is six weeks' good sparring where I've not got a cut that's going to open up. We were worried about the cut so much in camp, because there was a massive pay day on this cut and the cut wasn't even a factor in the fight.”
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Highlights: Usyk defeats Fury to become undisputed heavyweight champion
Video credit: TNT Sports
Fury spoke in more detail about how the anxiety surrounding that cut affected the build-up to the initial fight, but insists he will be heading into their December showdown with supreme confidence.
“It was only 12 weeks, three months beforehand that I had a cut across my left eye. That had to heal. I'm not sure how long it takes for a cut to heal. It maybe took seven or eight weeks for the cut to heal and then another six or seven weeks' training, but there's always a risk of it opening up and you lose your big dough.
“I've always been a bad man my whole life, and I'm still one today at nearly 40 years old; a few years off 40, but I like to say that. However, I'm going to go in there with destroy mode. Last time I went to box him, I was being cautious. I boxed the head right off him. Let's talk facts. Anyone can get caught, as we've seen in a lot of these heavyweight fights, but this time I'm not going for a points decision. I'm going to knock a m*********** out!”
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