Tyson Fury won’t think about much until he’s through his fight with Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday, but his promoter already has gears turning about the future.
Of course, first and foremost is Fury unifying the heavyweight titles with Usyk, with the potential to become the first undisputed champion of the four-belt era. No matter who wins on Saturday, the contract for the fight allows the loser to trigger an immediate rematch, which means Fury and Usyk could easily see each other again in back-to-back bouts.
Queensberry Promotions founder and Fury’s promoter Frank Warren acknowledged the rematch clause in the contracts on The MMA Hour — and revealed that the payday involved would be hard to pass up for either fighter.
“The loser of the fight, which I hope to be Usyk, but the loser of the fight has the option to call for the rematch,” Warren said. “That rematch, he will get extremely, extremely well paid for. Huge money.
“So I’d be very surprised, unless [Usyk] retires, [if] that will [not] happen. He won’t fight in September anyway, Tyson, he’s down to fight for the rematch if it happens in October.”
An immediate rematch would slow down a potential fight against Anthony Joshua, who seems like the obvious opponent for Fury should he come away victorious on Saturday.
Most recently, Joshua demolished ex-UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou inside two rounds, however Joshua has already lost twice to Usyk, so his road to a title fight would almost certainly have to go through Fury.
A fighter can opt out of an immediate rematch, usually due to another promoter offering a hefty sum of money to step aside for the time being, but Warren doesn’t expect that to tempt Fury or Usyk given the payday available for a second fight between them.
Assuming Fury and Usyk fight on Saturday and then again later in the year in 2024, Warren expects Joshua will be next in line.
“Whoever comes through these two fights, and provided A.J. keeps winning, that fight will happen early next year,” Warren teased. “There’s been discussions about it. Nothing’s been guaranteed. Tyson hasn’t agreed to it. It’s just been discussions amongst the powers that be.
“That’s the best-case situation. If anything else was to happen, that depends on the loser of the fight. That depends entirely on the loser.”
A fight between Fury and Joshua has been talked about for years but the matchup has yet to come together. Both fighters are huge stars in the United Kingdom, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a potential fight would happen there.
With Saudi Arabia dishing out huge site fees and paydays to bring major events there — like Fury vs. Usyk — Warren said there’s no guarantee where a Joshua matchup may take place.
“That hasn’t been decided,” Warren said of a location for a potential Fury vs. Joshua fight. “As a promoter, it would be great for Britain to be quite honest, of course it would. But you know what? They’re professional boxers and they’ve got to go where the money is. That’s what they do. That’s what they are.
“I’ll put it to you this way, why did Muhammad Ali fight [George] Foreman in Africa? Why was there a Thrilla in Manilla? Why was there a big heavyweight fight between Foreman and Joe Frazier in Jamaica, and so forth? And they were American fighters. Fought outside their time zones. They did it because they’re professional boxers.”
Before Joshua can start booking flights and wrapping his hands, Fury and Usyk have to go to battle on Saturday to determine the best heavyweight in boxing.
Warren understands the magnitude and attention surrounding a possible Fury vs. Joshua fight, but in terms of pure sport, the matchup against Usyk may mean more in the long run.
“This fight that’s captured everybody’s imaginations — two undefeated fighters in the prime of their career,” Warren said. “Very rarely does this happen. This is not the young guy challenging the old guy on the way out, passing the baton. This is the two at their best.
“The two best heavyweights in the world. One of those heavyweights, Mr. Usyk, has beaten A.J. twice.”
