Tyson Fury also spoke about a potential fight with Francis Ngannou and Oleksandr Usyk.
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Don’t hold your breath for Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua as the ‘Gypsy King’ has absolutely no interest in the all-British showdown, ruthlessly saying his rival is ‘dead’ in his eyes.
The undefeated WBC heavyweight king stopped Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora last year as he looks for an undisputed clash against Oleksandr Usyk, who holds the WBA (super), IBF, WBO and The Ring Magazine world titles.
However, if he fails to land a monstrous bout with the Ukrainian star, then the 34-year-old is eyeing a fight with former UFC champion Francis Ngannou.
Where does ‘AJ’ fit in the picture? Well, Fury has ‘zero’ interest in facing the ex-world heavyweight champion and said he’s ‘dead’ in his eyes.
“I don’t even [want to] go there anymore. Finished. No interest in any AJ questions. Zero. Man’s dead in my eyes,” he said exclusively to SPORTbible.
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“There’s no business between me and him to be done. Finished. From 2017 to, however long it’s been, 2022 – trying to make a fight. So, it’s not happening.”
Fury also doubled down on his outrageous hybrid offer to Ngannou, insisting they meet in a cage rather than a boxing ring.
“My offer to Ngannou is on the table. Like I said, if Usyk don’t fight then I’ll be looking to make the Ngannou fight,” he added.
“I’m going to do a two-fight deal in a boxing ring and in the cage. I’ve never asked him to fight in the boxing ring. I always said the cage. The deal was cage, four-ounce gloves – let’s get it on.
“In a boxing ring it would be a pointless contest. It’d be like me fighting someone at the local gym – bodybuilding gym. But in a cage with four once gloves on, anything can happen.”
Francis Ngannou during his UFC bout with Ciryl Gane. Image: Alamy
Of course, Ngannou is free to fight Fury, having left the UFC following a protracted contract dispute.
The 36-year-old, who left the promotion as UFC heavyweight king, has pursued a fight against Fury, Joshua as well as Deontay Wilder.
And Fury is keen to face the French-Cameroonian, but maintains that he isn’t looking to face him under MMA rules.
“Don’t know I’ve never seen the guy box,” he said when asked about Ngannou’s stand-up skills. “He’s been a UFC champion so you never know. No interest in actually fighting in MMA. I’m a stand-up fighter so wrestling around the floor is not what I’m into.”
On the threat Usyk provides in the heavyweight division, Fury continued: “I think he’s a tough contest for anybody. All these so-called contenders and people, he’s tough for them. But he’s not tough for me. Because I am the hardest.”
Asked to choose his next opponent between Usyk and Ngannou, he replied in typical Fury fashion.
“Not really bothered. Either one. Because I’ll smash them up easily,” he said. “Why not just have like a tag team match, where they can tag each other in and out during 12 rounds. F**k it! Make it 15, five-minute rounds, with 30 seconds rest and then they can tag each other in and out right the way through.”
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