Frank Warren reveals his plans for Tyson Fury in 2018 – including his showdown with Anthony Joshua
Fury has not boxed since November 2015 when he dethroned Wladimir Klitschko in one of the most memorable overseas wins by a British fighter in the post-war era
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Your support makes all the difference.Tyson Fury is on the verge of agreeing a multi-fight deal with promoter Frank Warren who is adamant the self-styled Gypsy King is worthy of a 50-50 split in the mooted £100m superfight with Anthony Joshua.
Fury has not boxed since November 2015 when he dethroned Wladimir Klitschko in one of the most memorable overseas wins by a British fighter in the post-war era.
However the victory was the prelude to a lengthy battle with depression, alcohol abuse and drug use which caused his weight to soar to 25st and kept him out of the ring for over two years.
Meanwhile, Fury also had to battle against allegations of drug use after elevated levels of the anabolic steroid nandrolone was found in a 2015 drug test carried out by the UK Anti-Doping Agency.
In December, after a lengthy and complex enquiry by UKAD, Fury accepted a backdated two-year suspension which moved him closer to a long-awaited ring return. The path was cleared even further this month when the British Boxing Board of Control lifted the suspension of his license to box.
He has held discussions with all the major promoters in the UK with Warren and Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Sport seemingly the front runners to sign him. Hearn had hoped that the incentive of a showdown with Joshua, his stable's biggest star, would be enough to convince him to join.
But it is understood that Warren is close to finalising a deal with Fury, who is scheduled to return on either April 14 or April 21.
“He's lost weight, about five stone and looks great,” Warren said. “His mindset is right, he's ready to go. The name of the game is to keep him busy. We will get him out, fighting regularly.
“We will aim to get him out four times in the first year back.”
It has been suggested that Fury signing with Warren could devastate the chances of the 6ft 9in traveller ever facing WBA and IBF champion Joshua because of the cross-promotional conflict.
One of the major stumbling blocks would be that Hearn's stable box on Sky while Warren has a deal with BT Sport. Another is that Fury has told Hearn that he expects to receive 60 per cent of any purse to fight Joshua.
Hearn, meanwhile, believes the former WBO, WBA and IBF champion would be entitled to around half of that figure, which would still be by far and away the biggest pay day of his career.
But Warren, who insists the broadcasting situation should not be a problem, has suggested that only an equal split should be considered.
“It's a fight everyone wants to make,” he added. “Except the people who have a self interest.
“I don't care how it's done let's just get it done and get it on. I think Tyson needs a couple first to get himself match fit and then he can go for it. Why wouldn't he?
“When it comes to the split - do you know what - all that bullshit is irrelevant. You've got two guys – let's just put it straight down the middle 50:50.
“Do you think the public cares? Let's just get it on. They both need each other.
“The TV shouldn't be a problem either, BT and Sky Sports can both show it. Who cares? I think it's great for the fighters to do that, it's the chance to make even more money.
“It would be biggest grossing fight that's ever taken place in this country, that's for sure. It would be a huge gate and you'd probably get 2m people watching it on pay-per-view.
“That's £50m in the tank straight away without the gate or anything else. It could make £100m, for sure.”
Since Fury was last seen in a ring, Joshua has surged to superstardom and is now considered by many as the biggest name in the sport.
The London 2012 Olympic champion has picked up two of the belts lost by Fury as a result of his hiatus and faces Joseph Parker for the third, the WBO strap, at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on March 31.
But Warren said: “Tyson never lost his titles in the ring and Anthony Joshua has just been the benefactor of Tyson's self-inflicted wounds.
“The fact of the matter is that until he beats Tyson Fury, he isn't the lineal champion. That's just how it is.
“As much as Tyson Fury needs to fight him, he needs to fight Tyson Fury. It needs to be done and nothing should get in the way of that.”
Meanwhile, another fighter on the comeback trail with Warren is James DeGale, who is preparing to return following December's shock defeat to Caleb Truax.
DeGale is back in the gym and already in full sparring with a rematch against the American underdog on the cards.
That upset came at the Copper Box Arena in DeGale's first fight in his hometown of London since May 2014 but Warren says the super-middleweight southpaw may need to travel to get his belt back.
“We are working on the rematch at the moment,” he said. “We are just trying to get it over the line.
“He's got to give James the rematch, I believe it was in the contract. Will it be over here in UK? Not on the money they currently want and if that doesn't change the fight will be in the States.”
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