Tyson Fury to be handed immediate world title shot if he reverses retirement

Tyson Fury will be offered a guaranteed world title fight should he decide to make a return to boxing.

The 'Gypsy King' shocked the world earlier this year after announcing his retirement. His announcement came just a few weeks after losing to Oleksandr Usyk for a second time. Many had hoped that Fury would go head-to-head with long-time rival Anthony Joshua in 2025 following the defeat to the Ukrainian.

Joshua has not fought since suffering a knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois last September. 'AJ' is set to make his return to the ring later this year after having elbow surgery. As for Fury, the former two-time heavyweight world champion has hinted at a return to the action over the last few weeks after uploading several videos of him training.

The 36-year-old was recently seen training with his coach SugarHill Steward. The Brit, who was sweating slightly after potentially wrapping up a workout said: "Just in the gym, happened to bump into somebody you might know." He then shifted the camera towards the direction of an energetic and happy SugarHill - who replied: "You know what time it is!" The 'Gypsy King' had the last say before ending the story: "You know what's coming," he said. Amid reports of Fury potentially ending his retirement, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman has reassured the Brit that if he does make a comeback, there will be an immediate shot at a world title waiting for him.

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Speaking to Action Network, Sulaiman said:“If Tyson decides to come back to boxing, he always has a door open with the WBC. He will always be number one so absolutely (we will give him a world title shot if he returns) because he is top of the top. He carried boxing through the dark times of the pandemic and Tyson is the one who elevated the sport and he’s the one who got Saudi Arabia to look into boxing."

The WBC president further added: “Spencer Brown is a tremendous influence, a great manager and now he’s managing and promoting fighters. It’s a great team so it’s a win win (for everyone) and my love and my gold heart goes to Tyson Fury and his team.”

Boxing legend George Groves has suggested Fury will take on long-time rival Joshua in either October or November - and that the fight could be announced next month. In an interview with Action Network, Groves said: "If it is going to happen, it has to happen this year they don’t want to be on the couch for too long.

"Anthony Joshua has just had surgery by all accounts so maybe it’s all done and dusted and is pre-agreed but there is no point announcing it too early. People will lose patience with it so let Joshua’s elbow recover and then it will (be a fight) which is tailored towards the end of the year maybe in Saudi Arabia. Maybe October or November but I won’t be surprised if they fight each other. It is a good fight, and people will be excited about it. it will settle the score and there’s a lot at stake for both guys. At certain times they were both the man, and it was like hero vs villain. Joshua was the hero, and Tyson was the villain and then it quickly turned, and it was the other way around.

"But they have now both been beaten and humbled by Usyk and Joshua has been beaten by Daniel Dubois, Fury didn’t look great against Francis Ngannou so there is a lot at stake for both guys because whoever wins that fight or two fights if they have signed for a rematch, can come out and say I was the best British fighter of this era or has ever been. That has a lot of value for a fighter’s pride. Tyson calls himself the Gypsy King, and the People’s Champion, and I bet he misses saying that. If he beats Joshua, he can go back to saying those sorts of things."