Tyson Fury, in an exclusive conversation with Rio Ferdinand for TNT Sports, says he is open to fighting Oleksandr Usyk following his much-anticipated bout with MMA legend Francis Ngannou, but only if “the money is there”.
Fury will face off against Ngannou in Saudi Arabia on October 28, in a clash billed as ‘Battle of the Baddest’, and one that will be shown exclusively live on TNT Sports Box Office.
Quizzed by Ferdinand on his plans post-Ngannou, Fury revealed that he could take on Ukrainian Usyk – who holds the WBA, IBF and WBO world heavyweight titles – should the conditions be right, a development that would bring to an end the ‘will they won’t they’ question that has long surrounded the two fighters.
“The fans want it [Usyk v Fury], if the money’s there, we’ll do it,” said Fury on Rio Meets Tyson, which you can watch at 15:15 on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+.
“Why in the world would I want to fight him for no money? He’s got zero personality, he’s an ugly b***** with gappy teeth, and he’s half the size of me.
“So it’s all to gain for him and nothing to gain for me. If I beat him it’s like ‘oh well he beat a middleweight’. If he beats me, he beat legendary Tyson Fury, for no money.
“He was offered the fight at Wembley in April. A lot of money. And they didn’t take it, they ran away, looking for more money.
“It is what it is. I understand everyone wants the most money possible – I do. This is prize fighting, we all want the biggest bag, and no matter what people say ‘it’s about the belts, it’s about my record, my legacy’. No. It’s all about getting paid and getting l***. And that’s it.”
As well as Usyk, fight fans have long salivated over the prospect of Fury locking horns with fellow British heavyweight Anthony Joshua.
But Fury appeared to dismiss that notion, referencing Joshua’s two defeats to Usyk – in September 2021 and August 2022 respectively – as evidence of his diminished standing.
“AJ’s been beat now,” Fury said. “I was interested when he was a virgin. It was a test. We want big fights, this that and the other, but ‘who are you? You don’t have any belts anymore. You don’t have anything to give.’
“I’m interested in doing the biggest fights, most money, most glamour, everything. That’s why I’m going to Saudi to fight Francis Ngannou. Not only for the biggest bag ever, also ‘two worlds collide’, millions of people around the world are going to watch it.
“If you put Oleksandr Usyk in Morecambe in a leisure centre, he wouldn’t sell it out. I beat Ed Sheeran at Wembley, and Adele [in attendance figures]. The Gypsy King on top of the pile, 94,000 [people].
“So you know what I mean? And then I offer him [Usyk] 30 per cent of a large bag, and they say no, they want more. On what merit do you deserve more? I’m a superstar, you’re a nobody.
“But if the fight does come, no problem – knock him out. And If I don’t then you can all say ‘told you so’.”
Looking ahead to his clash with Ngannou, Fury was at pains to emphasise the risk that comes with fighting someone like the former UFC heavyweight champion.
Fury said: “He [Ngannou] is a dynamite puncher in both hands. He’s recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the hardest puncher to ever punch anything, so there’s that risk.
“And also the biggest risk of all is fighting an MMA fighter and I’m the world heavyweight champion. What happens if he beats me? Ridiculed. It’d be like getting beaten by Liverpool for United 7-0. It’s like, how do you come back from that?
“All of these opponents that I face, they’re all risky fights. They’re all big men. Anyone over like 14 stone is a big man. And all of these guys are big, big lumps.
“When I’m fighting them the risk’s always the same, they’ve always got a puncher’s chance, but I never leave a stone unturned. That’s one thing I do, I always do everything I can in my power to be successful.
“And also if this guy’s going to beat me then fair play, I’ll shake his hand, he must be a good fighter because I’m no easy man to beat as I’ve proven over the years.”
How to watch Fury v Ngannou in the UK on TV
Fury v Ngannou can be watched in the UK & Ireland through BT, Virgin Media TV and Sky or online via the web or the TNT Sports Box Office App. You do not need to be a TNT Sports subscriber to buy this event.
Virgin Media TV customers in the UK: customers with a TiVo and/or V6 set-top-box should visit the On-Demand section and choose Live Events; customers with a Virgin TV360 and/or Stream set-top-box should go to the Pay Per View Live Events rail
BT TV customers can go to channel 494 and pay using their remote control.
Viewers wanting to watch the fight online should visit www.tntsports.co.uk/boxoffice and follow instructions to subscribe and watch on the web or on the TNT Sports Box Office App, customers can choose to watch on the big screen using Google Chromecast and Apple Airplay. EE, Three, Vodafone and O2 customers watching online or via the TNT Sports Box Office App can choose to add the payment to their mobile bill.
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