After two-and-a-half years, Tyson Fury is back.
It was announced this week that the British heavyweight has signed with promoter Frank Warren and will fight in Manchester on June 9.
Fury has promised to deliver “flair and flame” in his first bout since he defeated Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015, and that’s a claim many boxing fans hope he fulfils.
The ‘Gypsy King’ was expected to dominate the heavyweight division after that thrilling night in Dusseldorf.
His drug and mental health issues have been well documented but there’s still a desire to see him challenge Anthony Joshua one day.
Yet, according to Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn, Fury is planning a comfortable return before eyeing a fight against the reigning WBA, IBF, IBO and WBO champion.
Fury held discussions with Hearn about signing with Matchroom Sport before deciding to join Warren’s team. Hearn has since revealed the deal Fury was hoping to strike - and it seems pretty ridiculous.
Hearn's spoken to Fury
“He don’t want the Joshua fight, just yet. He wants four easy paydays and then maybe the Joshua fight,” Hearn told iFL TV on Friday.
“We spoke last Tuesday. Tyson’s a character. He’d call me up and he’d say, ‘right, I want to fight these geezers.’
“He’d send me through the list. I mean, I genuinely mean this, you might be able to beat them. Some of the people he sent through.
“‘So I want four of them, and then give me 50-50 with Josh.’
“I’m like, ‘mate, you want 50-50 with AJ?!’
“‘Yep, I’ll sign the deal now.’”
What Fury texted AJ
Fury then decided to give Joshua a call.
Hearn continued: “So we went back and forwards taking the p*** out of each other. He said, ‘right, I’m going to phone Josh now.’
“So he phoned Josh and Josh called me. He was like, ‘Fury’s been calling me.’
“I said, ‘yeah he wants 50-50 in a fight.’ He started laughing.
“And then he text Josh and said, ‘look, just sign now, let’s do it. Let me have these four fights and then sign now for 50-50.’”
Surely Fury never believed that Hearn and Joshua would accept the deal?
It seems odd that he was laying out the demands when Joshua is the one that everyone wants a piece of right now.