Tyson Fury wants in on the highly lucrative, currently all the rage exhibition circuit. Speaking last night with GMB, the undefeated 33 year old said once again that he is retired – “me and professional boxing are absolutely kaput,” he said – but that he is planning to face some “big names” in exhibition bouts. Fury has a short-list of instantly recognizable names he would like to fight in exhibition form: Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Frank Bruno, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.”
Fury says these bouts would be “pure entertainment” and a whole lot of fun.
“I’m gonna do some exhibition matches, they’re not real fights, but with entertainment factor,” Fury said. “This is not professional boxing, this is pure entertainment. Hollywood-style entertainment, that’s all it is, nothing more, nothing less. In an exhibition, you’re there to enjoy, have a good time and put on a show for the fans. And in an exhibition you can fight old-timers, famous people, whoever you want. So I’m looking at fighting Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Frank Bruno, The Rock, Dwayne Johnson, that’s be fantastic. As far as I’m concerned, I’m happily retired. Me and professional boxing are absolutely kaput.”
Fury against superstars like Tyson and Lewis would no doubt be big events, events that would attract plenty of fan attention from both casuals and hardcore boxing fans. As we’ve seen, some of these big-name exhibition bouts can be good for boxing, as they raise the sport’s profile, which is always good. While others have given the sport a temporary black eye. One thing about Fury is, he can put on as show and entertain.
However, these planned exhibitions aside, there are still many, many people who do not believe Fury will not fight again. The thinking here is a fight with the winner of the Oleksandr Usyk-Anthony Joshua rematch will be far too tempting for Fury – no matter what he has had to say on the subject. Look for Fury to have some fun, see his bank account swell even further, and then come back for a real fight next year some time.
