Former World Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury has had the ban on his boxing license lifted, with Shannon Briggs the instant frontrunner to face the ‘Gypsy King’ in his return to the ring. And the odds of a 2018 clash with Anthony Joshua have been slashed by bookmakers.
Paddy Power have priced a potential fight with Briggs at2/1, ahead of David Price (5/1) and Dominic Breazeale (8/1).
With anticipation building for a clash between Fury and Joshua, fans will be excited to hear that the IBF, WBA and IBO World Champion is 10/1 to fight Fury by the end of this year and 2/1 to face him in 2019.
However, he’s a 33/1 shot to make AJ his first opponent when he returns to boxing.
That fight could see Fury become World Champion and punters can get odds of 10/1 that he wins a global title in 2018 and 6/4 for it to happen next year.
Other potential contenders for the first fight with Fury include the other two current heavyweight champions, Joseph Parker and Deontay Wilder, and fellow Brits David Haye (all 33/1).
Haye’s opponent in May, Tony Bellew, is a 50/1 chance to be Fury’s first competitor.
Spokesperson Paddy Power said: “From turning up to a press conference dressed as Batman to smashing a watermelon with his head, Fury is one of boxing’s more entertaining characters, so we’re looking forward to his return.
“Ultimately, a fight with AJ is what we’re all after – anything other than this would make fans fury-ous.”
TYSON FURY NEXT OPPONENT:
Shannon Briggs 2/1
David Price 5/1
Dominic Breazeale 8/1
Agit Kabayel 8/1
Lucas Browne 10/1
Charles Martin 10/1
Tomasz Adamek 10/1
Erkan Teper 12/1
Eric Molina 12/1
Bermane Stiverne 12/1
Dereck Chisora 14/1
Mariusz Wach 14/1
Bryant Jennings 14/1
Jarrell Miller 16/1
Dillian Whyte 16/1
Gerarld Washington 16/1
Alexander Povetkin 20/1
Kubrat Pulev 20/1
Luis Ortiz 25/1
David Haye 33/1
Joseph Parker 33/1
Deontay Wilder 33/1
Anthony Joshua 33/1
Tony Bellew 50/1