by Tyson Fury says he will fight Oleksandr Usyk in a world heavyweight title unification showdown early next year.
The ‘Gypsy King’ beat his old British rival Derek Chisora in 10 one sided rounds to retain his WBC belt at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night.
And Fury immediately called Usyk, who was ringside in north London, yelling, “You’re next little bitch. Let’s do it.”
Fury later said the fight with Ukrainian Usyk, the reigning IBF, IBO, WBO and WBA champion, will likely take place in Saudi Arabia in February or March.
Plan B, Fury revealed, is Britain’s Joe Joyce, who currently holds the interim WBO heavyweight title and was also at the Spurs camp.
“I’m ready and eager to take on Usyk next,” Fury said. “We give the fans a champion, a name, a face.
“Usyk is up for the challenge. He came tonight, so it’s fair game with him. I can’t wait to take on the challenge.
“But if for whatever reason – sometimes big fights don’t happen – then we will have Joe Joyce at Wembley.
“But if Usyk happens then I’ll have it and then I’ll be Joe Joyce at Wembley. Why not?”
Fury, 34, was clearly alluding to his attempts to meet Usyk and Anthony Joshua this year, both of which failed.
Chisora was instead parachuted for a third fight with Fury, having lost both previous fights in 2011 and 2014.
Therefore, the ‘trilogy’ fight that British heavyweight boxing never knew they needed had been a tough sell, especially during a World Cup.
Chisora, after all, had lost seven of his 20 fights since that second loss to Fury and will turn 39 later this month.
By the ninth round the constant punishment was really starting to take its toll with a tired Chisora sporting a nasty cut under her eye and spitting blood.
He came out with his shield though, with referee Victor Loughlin putting Chisora out of his misery in the 10th.
It was a valiant but ultimately futile attempt by the challenger, who would have become the fifth oldest heavyweight champion had he caused an upset, but will at least be fetching a decent salary in what looks like a likely retirement.
“I have to tip my hat to Derek Chisora because he is an absolute warrior and has taken a lot of heavy punches,” Fury added.
“Maybe they left it too long. I was very happy when the referee stopped. He had had enough. We are not there to hurt each other. It’s a boxing match.”
The event was not a sellout, but nonetheless nearly 60,000 brave braved the freezing December weather to be in attendance.
“I was overwhelmed, 60,000 people here in December,” Fury said. “People said this fight won’t sell, it’s going to be a terrible fight. But guess what, he sold and it was quite a fight.
