WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury says he will announce his next opponent next week — but confirmed it will not be Oleksandr Usyk.
Fury, 34, said he was retiring from boxing after beating Dillian Whyte in April.
Ukrainian Usyk retained the WBO, IBF and WBA (Super) titles with victory over Anthony Joshua last month. Both have spoken of fighting each other in 2023 but Fury says he will be fighting someone else soon.
“All of a sudden Oleksandr Usyk has stated he does not want to fight any more — he wants to fight next year not this year,” the undefeated Briton said.
“I am not going to wait around for anybody and I will be announcing a fight next week.”
Fury was speaking at a news conference following an appearance at WWE’s ‘Clash at the Castle’ in Cardiff.
He had earlier appeared in the ring and floored Austin Theory — then closed WWE’s first UK stadium event for 30 years with a rendition of the song American Pie.
He also said he would “definitely be open to” joining WWE full-time in the future, but added: “At the moment I am a heavyweight world champion and I have lots of fights I have to take care of in the next few years.”
On Friday Usyk, 35, told the BBC of the prospective Fury unification fight: “It won’t happen this year, that’s for sure. I’m totally healthy and don’t have any injuries, but I have old traumas which have resurfaced, and which need to be treated. I will need up to two months to recuperate.”
