Tyson
Fury wrapped up his professional boxing career in style on
Saturday.
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Fighting in front of a packed house at Wembley Stadium in London,
the heavyweight champion improved his career mark to 32-0-1 with a
sixth-round knockout of Dillian
Whyte on Saturday. In the aftermath, the 33-year-old Englishman
seemed at peace with his choice.
“I come back for a big, big fight at home. It’s been amazing,” he
said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “I couldn’t have
topped it off. It’s been a fairytale few years. It’s been
absolutely more than I ever dreamed of as a kid and as an adult. I
won every belt there is to win. There isn’t nothing more I can do.
I won every belt in the game. If this was a computer game, it would
definitely be completed for sure.”
However, Fury isn’t necessarily completely done with combat sports.
While he doesn’t plan on defending his title again, he would be
open to exhibition bouts, notably against UFC champion Francis
Ngannou.
“I will not rule out exhibitions, for sure,” Fury said. “Get some
of that Floyd
Mayweather money. I want to have fun. I entertain, that’s what
I do best. I want to have fun.
“Francis
Ngannou was here today, he’s on my hit list in an exhibition
fight. However he wants — in a cage, in a boxing ring, boxing
gloves, UFC gloves, we can make it happen. I think everyone wants
to see it. He’s a monster of a guy. I’m a monster of a guy. So it
will be a clash of the titans for sure.”
A hypothetical clash between Fury and Ngannou will likely be
sometime in the distant future, if at all. After defending his
heavyweight crown with a five-round verdict over Ciryl Gane
in the UFC 270 headliner on Jan. 22, Ngannou underwent surgery to
repair a knee injury suffered in training prior to the bout.
Ngannou must also come to terms with the promotion after completing
his eight-bout UFC deal. A champion’s clause makes free agency more
complicated for “The Predator,” but if he did part ways with the
UFC, it would be easier to engage in talks for an exhibition
against Fury. UFC president Dana White has expressed optimism that
a deal with Ngannou can be reached.
“It’s not simply money,” Ngannou said of his contract at the UFC
270 post-fight press conference. “Obviously, money is a part of it,
but it’s also the terms of the contract that I don’t agree
with.
“I don’t feel like it’s fair. I don’t feel like I’m a free man. I
don’t feel like I’ve been treated good. It’s unfortunate that I
have to be in this position, that I have to say that. I feel like
everyone should have the right to claim for what’s best for them.
At the end of the day, we put a lot of work for this job and we
take a lot on our body to make it happen, so we can have a fair and
square deal.”