Frank Warren, Tyson Fury's UK promoter, says the heavyweight division is set to ignite in the latter part of this year; Fury hasn't boxed yet in 2023 but Warren insists his next move will be a "serious game-changer" as Joe Joyce looks to force his way back with Zhilei Zhang rematch
Thursday 29 June 2023 20:52, UK
Tyson Fury’s next move will be a "game-changer", promoter Frank Warren has promised.
Fury, the WBC heavyweight champion, hasn't boxed since his clear victory over Derek Chisora in December.
Talks for the undisputed championship fight with Oleksandr Usyk did not progress earlier this year and it's left Fury without a scheduled bout or an opponent.
But his co-promoter Frank Warren told Sky Sports News: "I think what is going to happen - and it's a bold move that Tyson's done - I think will be a serious game-changer and you'll see why when it's announced.
"This has been an up-and-down year because of the expectation levels and when fights are going to take place but it will happen… a game-changer for Tyson."
Warren expects the heavyweight division to ignite in the latter part of the year.
"It'll liven up, stop all this nonsense," he said. "Skills Challenge, the Saudi company, have done brilliantly, put some good stuff on. Fighters are really up for what they've done. But it has also disrupted the business. They've said to themselves 'go and have fights and then we'll do these fights later on'.
"In the mean time, we can't make it hold us all up. We've got to make things happen.
"Tyson hasn't been about 'I'll wait till the money comes up from Saudi Arabia.' Let's do it now."
Warren did not rule out a crossover event with former UFC champion Francis Ngannou.
"They're fights that people buy and buy into and if it's there to be done and it makes sense, you'd do it," he said.
"What I'm seeing at the moment is people going crazy for guys who have not had any amateur background, Youtuber guys, and they're buying into it big time. If it's there, people will buy into it. All I want for Tyson, I want him to unify the titles, I want him to have that."
Joe Joyce knows that if he wins his rematch with Zhilei Zhang on September 23, he will have a say in the top end of the heavyweight division.
Zhang stopped Joyce in April on a damaged eye after six punishing rounds.
The Briton is going into an immediate rematch. He is calculating that if he can beat Zhang and win back the WBO Interim title, he will become the mandatory for the WBO's heavyweight world championship, a belt which, along with the WBA and IBF titles, Oleksandr Usyk is set to defend against Daniel Dubois in August.
"A brave, risky decision [to take the rematch]," Joyce told Sky Sports News. "Once, if or when I beat Zhang, I can get the [interim] title back in time for when the mandatories get called.
"The first fight it looked terrible, I got my eye all bruised up and beaten but I thought I was still in the fight. I was landing a lot of shots and I think in the later rounds it could have been a different story. He was beginning to start taking backwards steps.
"So in the rematch I need to come with some better tactics and better defence, come bigger and stronger, faster and harder."
