"Once this fight is over we're going to put together a total unification match between the winner and Tyson Fury." Top Rank boss Bob Arum still hopes that Fury will resume his career after Usyk vs Joshua 2 on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Friday 19 August 2022 14:04, UK
Tyson Fury's promoter is "confident" that the British heavyweight will "answer the bell" and return to fight the winner of Oleksandr Usyk's rematch with Anthony Joshua.
Usyk defends the WBA, IBF and WBO titles in his second fight against Joshua on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Fury reaffirmed his intention to retire this month, but his US promoter Bob Arum is hopeful the 34-year-old can be lured back to the sport by a lucrative clash against Usyk or Fury.
"Absolutely - it's really the only fight that makes sense for Tyson Fury," Arum told Sky Sports. "I've discussed this with my co-promoter of Fury, Frank Warren, and once this fight is over we're going to put together a total unification match between the winner and Tyson Fury.
"Now, if Usyk wins the fight, which I expect, that will be quite easy to do because we're very close to the Usyk people as they're the same people who manage Vasyl Lomachenko who fights for us.
"If Joshua wins, Eddie Hearn is his promoter. We've talked many times with Hearn about various matches and I'm sure we'll be able to come together on this one."
Fury has previously been adamant that April's victory over Dillian Whyte at Wembley would be his last, although Arum is confident the 34-year-old will be "up for the challenge" and return to face the winner.
"I've talked with him [Fury] and every day is different, but he's a fighter and if the right fight is there then Fury will be up for that fight," Arum added.
"The right fight is the unification fight against the winner of Usyk and Joshua and I think - based on my conversations with Fury - he'll be up for that challenge.
"How much longer he will go after that, god only knows and I'm not sure, but I'm confident at least that he'll answer the bell for that major fight."
Usyk won by unanimous decision when he faced Joshua in London last September, with Arum backing the Ukrainian to produce a similar performance in Saturday's Saudi Arabia showdown.
"I like Usyk in the fight, I think that he's a much better boxer," Arum predicted. "Joshua can beat him if he presses the action, but Usyk has a pretty good punch .
"I don't know if Joshua can prevail if he just trades punches with Usyk. We'll have to see, but that's Joshua's only chance in my opinion. I like Usyk pretty big in this fight, but it's heavyweight boxing and anything can happen.
"It's a very interesting fight and it should be a very good fight but, all things being equal, I like the Ukrainian boy to win the fight and retain his title."
Anthony Joshua's huge heavyweight rematch against Oleksandr Usyk is on Saturday August 20, live on Sky Sports Box Office. Book Usyk vs Joshua 2 now!
