Tyson Fury wanted an all-British showdown for his comeback fight.
And while it definitely
won't be Anthony Joshua who will welcome back the controversial heavyweight, talks have taken place in the hopes of putting together a clash with Tony Bellew.
Bellew has revealed that his camp has spoken to Fury's and while the Liverpool fighter, whose first foray into the heavyweight division went swimmingly when he stopped David Haye in March, is aware that Fury is a daunting task, he would be more than happy to test his skills against the undefeated 28-year-old in his current state of fitness.
"He was considered. My people spoke to his people, so he was an option," Bellew told
Boxing News Online. "I know what you’re going to say, he’s a giant of a man, he’s massive. He is one of the biggest, yes, but he’s not a huge puncher and in the shape he’s in, I’m probably picking on a guy who’s possibly fatter than me.
"I would take it on board. There are possibilities of that happening, yes there is.
https://twitter.com/SportsJOE_UK/status/859534212961116160
"I’ll be totally honest. Would I get in with the Tyson Fury that beat Wladimir Klitschko? Absolutely not, no. Would I get in with the 25 stone fella that’s walking around now, absolutely yes.
"We need to see what he is and what’s realistic. He’s been out the ring so long, he’s going to be ring rusty. It would be one I’d look at. He’s a brilliant fighter. Do we still class him as the lineal heavyweight champion of the world? I don’t know, he’s been out the ring so long."
Fury hasn't fought since November 2015, when he dominated Wladimir Klitschko over 12 rounds in Dusseldorf, and he remains without a boxing licence.
But it looks likely that he will fight before this year is out, although we know that he won't be competing against Joshua until next Spring,
at the very earliest.
