By: Sean Crose
“2026 is that year. Return of the Mac. Been away for a while but I’m back now. 37 years old and still punching. Nothing better to do than punch men in the face & get paid for it. “So posted Tyson Fury this past weekend on Instagram. Yes, the colorful, wildly talented but aging Fury is heading back to the professional prize ring. Fighters of note are known to retire and come back but Fury has turned the “I’m in/I’m out” into an artform. “Tyson Fury returns to boxing for the fifth time,” MMA Crossfire stated perfectly in its headline of the story.
Are people are going to ignore Fury, though? Of course not. Nor should they. The man is a guaranteed Hall of Famer, one whose only lost twice ( both times to current kingpin Oleksandr Usyk) and emerged victorious from one of the great trilogies in heavyweight boxing history (Watch the trilogy again if you don’t believe it). What’s more, everyone knows what a born showman Fury is. Loud, and brash, the towering Englishman naturally draws attention to himself. That sort of thing, as everyone knows, leads to fan interest.
The question now is who will Fury fight next? He’s indicated he wants a third match with Usyk. While the first two fights were certainly close, it’s doubtful fans will be salivating for a third go-round between the two men. Anthony Joshua is an obvious choice, as fans across the globe have wanted to see the two British giants get it on for years now. While both may be past their prime, a showdown between the two former world titlists would certainly draw in a lot of interest – as well as a lot of money. As for newer rising heavyweights like Moses Itauma, Fury is unlikely to face a fighter yet to have a marquee name.
Fury told Sky Box Boxing’s Instagram page on Monday that “Whoever it will be it will be the biggest & best event of that time. As the GK [Gypsy King] brings the circus back views and headlines incoming. #legend”. Of course it’s hard to tell whether or not Fury will actually return to the professional boxing scene or for how long. The man is either random, or masterful with the media – or both. No matter what, the guy shouldn’t be written off. He’s simply proven to be too good a fighter to not take seriously.
