The Top Rank promoter laid out a roadmap for Tyson Fury’s final four fights as he prepares to face former UFC champion Francis Ngannou.
Tyson Fury is just 35 years old and at the top of his game, but his promoter Bob Arum suspects we may be getting close to the end of the line for “The Gypsy King.”
In a new interview with Sky Sports, Arum gave fans hope for a heavyweight title unification bout between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. People were losing hope based on recent bombastic comments from Fury refuting any interest in fighting the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO champion. But Arum shrugged off the doubts.
“It won’t be hard to make,” Arum declared. “I know the Usyk people, they’re nice people. His manager, his promoter, they’re terrific people. Usyk himself is a terrific guy. I think [Fury] wants that fight. I think that fight’s going to happen and hopefully it will happen sooner rather than later.”
How soon? Sooner than you’d think.
“Probably early next year but it could happen as early as December,” Arum claimed.
That all hinges on how his fight against Francis Ngannou in October goes. Everyone is expecting Tyson Fury to walk right through “The Predator,” but the potential for injury or need for recovery time after their fight is very real.
Arum added that Fury is coming close to the end of his career, and there may not be too many more fights in his future.
“I would like to see him fight Usyk,” the Top Rank promoter said. “I think once he fights Usyk and assuming he beats Usyk then I think he’ll do a victory lap, maybe two more fights and let the younger guys take over.”
Fury has been dismissing fights with Usyk and Anthony Joshua while talking up cage fights with Jon Jones. Is that all just Fury making headlines, or is he truly uninterested in booking the fights he needs to solidify his boxing legacy? You never know with Fury, but it seems his promoter Bob Arum continues to be pushing him towards the obvious big fights.