Boxing promoter Frank Warren says he would be happy to link up with Tyson Fury again if the troubled former heavyweight world champion manages to put his demons behind him and secures a licence.
Fury, who is still facing an anti-doping hearing and is provisionally suspended, said on Twitter on Monday that he aimed to make a comeback against
an unnamed opponent on May 13.
The 28-year-old has not fought since beating Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko to become world champion in November 2015, subsequently pulling out of a rematch twice.
Warren, speaking to Reuters after a news conference to publicise an IBF world super-featherweight title bout on May 20 between American Gervonta Davis and Britain’s Liam Walsh, hoped Fury could return.
“I want to see him back in the ring as soon as possible but before that happens he’s got a couple of issues to sort out,” he
said.
“There’s a hearing set for early May and if he comes through that OK then he’ll box.
“He seems to think that he will get his issues sorted out with UKAD (Britain’s anti-doping agency) and let’s hope that’s going to be the case because we all miss him,” he added.
Warren, whose BoxNation channel had been due to televise Fury’s Klitschko rematch, said last October that the Briton had a ‘self-destruct button’.
“It was a problem last year but he had problems himself and so we all got a bit of understanding of what was going on in his life,” he said on Tuesday.
“Hopefully that’s all behind him now and we can move forward and get him back to what he’s doing which is being a great heavyweight boxer. Without a doubt he’s the best heavyweight out there.
“I’ve got a lot of time for him...I’d like to be involved in moving forward and getting him back to where he should be, which is being the number one heavyweight.”
Fury vacated his WBO and WBA belts last year, revealing he was seeking medical help, after telling Rolling Stone magazine that he had taken cocaine to help his depression.
Fury’s licence was “suspended pending further investigation” by the British Boxing Board of Control. He was also charged with a rule violation by UK Anti-Doping after a urine sample from
February 2015 showed traces of the banned stimulant nandrolone. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Parker to defend WBO title against Hughie Fury
New Zealand’s Joseph Parker will defend his World Boxing Organisation (WBO) heavyweight title against Britain’s Hughie Fury in Auckland on May 6, his promoters said yesterday.
It will be Parker’s first defence of the belt he won in December after it was vacated by Tyson Fury, Hughie’s cousin.
“Joseph loves fighting at home in front of his Kiwi fans so we really wanted to give him that opportunity against a truly dangerous, gifted young opponent in Hughie Fury,” Parker’s Duco Events promoter David Higgins said.
Both young fighters are undefeated, with 25-year-old Parker boasting a 22-0 record, 18 by knockout, and Fury, 22, at 20-0, with 10 knockouts.
Most interest in the fight will be on who the winner meets next, with potential unification bouts looming involving Britain’s IBF champion Anthony Joshua or American WBC title holder Deontay Wilder.
Higgins confirmed Duco had already been in discussions with representatives for Wilder and Joshua — who fights ex-champ Wladimir Klitschko in London next month — although he insisted Parker’s main focus was Hughie Fury.
Further complicating the heavyweight scene, Tyson Fury this week hinted he would return against an unknown opponent on May 13.
Duco said Tyson — who surrendered his belts in October after admitting taking cocaine to combat depression — was expected to join his cousin’s entourage in Auckland. In a promotional video released by Duco to coincide with the Parker fight announcement, Hughie Fury spoke of creating a heavyweight dynasty with his cousin.
“I’ll win this title, then Tyson can come back and we can both rule the heavyweight division together,” he said.
Tyson Fury
