Fury Plans To Vacate Titles Post-Usyk Victory
Tyson Fury has revealed that he will vacate any titles that he does win following his fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
The Gypsy King will have the biggest fight of his career when he faces Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world on February 17th, 2024. The winner will become the greatest heavyweight of this era, with records for both fighters on the line. A win for Fury would retain his undefeated record and cap off a remarkable comeback from mental health struggles to become undisputed for the first time. At one point, the fighter was vocal about his substance abuse issues and mental health struggles that had taken him on a path which could have ended his life.
Meanwhile, a win for Usyk would also keep his undefeated record and make him undisputed in another weight class, following the same feat he achieved at cruiserweight. And in doing so, it would make him the second male boxer to become undisputed alongside Terence Crawford in two divisions. With that being said, Fury’s aim was clear moving forward.
Fury On Vacating Belts
“I will beat Oleksandr Usyk. I’m the WBC champion and the lineal champion, and I’ll be Ring Magazine champion for a third time. The rest of it [belts], I’m not so concerned about. I’ll just vacate and let someone else have a go at them other belts, I’ll just keep my own stuff,” Fury stated
Those comments are significant for the following reasons. Following the fight, the winner will be required to defend their titles against the IBF mandatory, who is Filip Hrgovic. The failure to do that would result in the winner being stripped, which is vital given that there are suggestions that there is a rematch clause for the Fury-Usyk fight. In addition, it may suggest that Fury could soon walk away from the sport. His wife, Paris Fury, has spoken about how she wants her husband to retire following the Usyk fight.
Fury’s Retirement
“I’m hoping after Usyk [his upcoming fight against Oleksandr Usyk] that will be the end of it. It’s been very stressful for her and yet Tyson won’t stop. He feels that fighting keeps him in a positive mental state,” Paris revealed
Nevertheless, even if Fury does not retire, the boxer may pursue more crossover fights. The Gypsy King admitted that he would be interested in fighting Jon Jones in a crossover fight. Meanwhile, the Francis Ngannou rematch could also play out. There is a narrative in place for the fight, given how close the first fight had been. The former UFC heavyweight champion knocked Fury down in round three in a performance that had shocked many, given it was his boxing debut. And given that the decision went Fury’s way, which was heavily disputed, another fight could be on the cards. After all, Ngannou has made his intention clear.
“The rematch is what I want next the most. As for right now, I feel like there is a lot of options for me, but I want to choose wisely. And I would go for the rematch first,” Ngannou said
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