Will Tyson Fury fight again, and if so will he be anything like the force he was a year ago? It was twelve months ago this month when unbeaten contender Fury went from contender to world champion, defeating Wladimir Klitschko in one of British boxing’s finest victories. Since then, however, it’s been all downhill for Fury.
Weight gain, a lack of desire, huge amounts of controversy as a result of speaking his mind and, finally, mental health issues. Tyson experienced the lot and these events resulted in Fury being stripped of his belts, with him possibly seeing his career ended. Some feel this will not be the case, insisting the 28-year-old will come again; while others feel we will never see Fury inside a boxing ring again. Plenty of people want Fury back though – not least WBC heavyweight king Deontay Wilder.
Speaking with Sky Sports, the currently sidelined “Bronze Bomber” said he has “prayed” for Fury and his return, and that he wants to fight him, whether or not Fury brings a belt to the table.
“May God be with him, and I look forward to the return of Tyson Fury because we didn’t promote that fight all year for nothing, trust me,” Wilder said. “That one’s got to happen, whether he’s got a belt or not. I hope to see Tyson back in the ring, and I think he will return.”
Wilder even goes as far as to call Fury “a great guy,” which is not something he would have been quick to say back in January of this year when an animated Fury invaded the ring seconds after Wilder had KO’d Artur Szplika. The two practically bumped heads as they verbally tore into each other. Genuine bad blood seemed to be the order of the day on this day, to be settled in the ring in a huge unification fight – at least that’s what we all hoped. Now? Again, the jury is out on whether or not Fury will want to look at lacing up the gloves again, but right now, recovering as he is from the torture of depression, Fury isn’t at all likely to be even thinking about boxing.
In time, maybe we will witness a stunning comeback and a return to form. One thing is clear: Fury will have no shortage of big fights to fight should he return. Wilder, for one, is ready to wait for Tyson.