Tyson Fury has candidly declared he’s sitting on a whopping “£200million in the bank” confessing his sole drive is to rake in “as much money as I can until the wheels fall off” before his anticipated rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
The Gypsy King is gearing up to rectify the sole blemish on his record against Usyk come December 21, following the Ukrainian’s triumph via a split decision earlier this year.
Usyk’s monumental victory earned him the title of the first undisputed heavyweight champion since the legendary Lennox Lewis in 1999. However, Fury has made it crystal clear that his focus isn’t on the glory of titles or historical recognition as he prepares for the year-end showdown, but rather the financial rewards, as he revealed in a frank discussion.
In a chat with Sky Sports, referencing a talk with former boxer Andy Lee about coming to terms with defeats, Fury quipped: “Andy Lee never had £200million in his bank to make him happy, did he? So what is my goal, and what is my target? It’s not a belt. It’s not a legacy. It’s not a boxing fight. It’s to make as much money as possible.
“To do that, I’ve got to have as many fights as I can until the wheels fall off and I’m 50 years old, crippled with a stick, walking down the street. That’s how I’ll be.”
Fury didn’t hold back during his tirade, asserting that none of his bouts would have happened if the financial incentive wasn’t sufficient, and he considers himself the only pro fighter who will openly admit that his motivation is purely monetary.
The candid boxer, known for his straight talk, declared: “I’ve had 40 professional fights, and I was in every single one of them for the money. If I wasn’t getting paid, I wouldn’t have done any of them. I do it for the dough, but I’m the only one that will tell the truth.
“I don’t come to these places, thinking, ‘Oh my God, I’m on TV. I’m Famous.’ I’m thinking, ‘How much dough can I get at any given moment in my career? ‘ If you want to fight, the only question I say is, ‘How much? ‘ I have gloves, I have a body, and I will travel if the money is right. I’m truthful.”
Adding a dash of eccentricity to their first press event for the eagerly anticipated rematch, Usyk made a grand entrance styled as the videogame hitman Agent 47, donning a sharp suit, tie, and carrying a briefcase, much to the amusement of fans.
Despite losing previously, Fury showed optimism about the rematch, attributing his past defeat to divine timing: “It wasn’t my time to win or else the almighty would have given me the victory. I’m very happy Usyk got the decision, because God’s timing is not late, it’s not imperfect, it’s perfection.”
He then confidently predicted an outcome for their upcoming second bout with the Ukrainian boxer, vowing: “Whoever I have faced more than once has been knocked out in the rematch. I’m envisaging something similar in the second fight with Usyk.”
