Although Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is considered one of the most important boxers today, it is not he who tops the list of dream fights for Mike Tyson. The boxing legend recently surprised by revealing which fight he would most like to see before the protagonists retire for good.
To the surprise of many, he did not mention the Mexican, but focused on two British heavyweights whose fight has been long desired but never realized: Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
In an interview with iFL TV, Tyson not only showed enthusiasm for the hypothetical fight, but considered it fair and timely. “I think it’s beautiful for both of them. They both go home, take care of the fans and also earn a great sum,” he said, referring to the potential spectacle and economic benefit that fight would entail.
Despite both fighters’ recent losses, the former champion believes the appeal remains intact: “I think they both had previous fights with some skepticism, but it would still be a fight that the public would want to see.”
A battle that was always close but never happened
The clash between Fury and Joshua has been, for years, one of boxing’s great unfulfilled promises. Although negotiations have progressed, the fight was never signed. Today, the situation seems more distant than ever: Fury, nicknamed “The Gypsy King”, is coming off two consecutive defeats against Oleksandr Usyk and announced his retirement from the ring. Although in the past he has said goodbye only to return in important fights, this time the retirement sounds more definitive.
Bob Arum, head of Top Rank and one of the key figures in Fury’s career, made a blunt statement that reinforces that idea. “If I were a betting man, I would say he will never fight again,” he told the BBC 5 Live Boxing podcast. And he quoted the legendary Marvin Hagler to justify it: “A rich guy who goes to bed in silk pajamas doesn’t get up in the morning to work on the road.” For Arum, Fury’s motivation is no longer in the ring.
Joshua keeps waiting
Anthony Joshua has not closed the door. After his shock knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois last September and subsequent surgery, he has made it clear that Fury remains his main target. “Hopefully [the fight with Fury] gets done. The industry shouldn’t go without it,” he said, hinting that he still believes the fight can become a reality.
Although he is also considering other options such as Deontay Wilder, Martin Bakole or Agit Kabayel, Joshua knows he needs something big to get back to the top of boxing. “Being good is not good enough in boxing… I need to up my game,” he admitted with self-criticism. Of his possible opponents, Kabayel could take advantage of the lack of progress with the others, but nothing beats the expectation of what it would be like to face Fury.
With one champion retired and another in the midst of rebuilding, time is not on their side. However, if anyone knows about unexpected comebacks and memorable fights, it is Mike Tyson, who returned to the ring at the age of 58.
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