Tyson Fury wants ‘half a billion’ pounds to fight Oleksandr Usyk

Fury has claimed to be retired following his knockout win against Dillian Whyte in April

Tyson Fury has claimed that he would not fight Oleksandr Usyk for less than £500million.

Fury vowed before and after his April knockout of Dillian Whyte that the contest would be his last professional bout, though the Briton has expressed an interest in taking part in exhibition fights.

With his win against Whyte at London’s Wembley Stadium, Fury remained unbeaten and retained the WBC heavyweight title, which he has not relinquished despite his apparent retirement. Meanwhile, Usyk became WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight champion last September by outpointing Anthony Joshua, whom the unbeaten Ukrainian is set to face again this summer.

Fury has opened the door to exhibition fights against the likes of former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and WWE star-turned-actor Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, but the 33-year-old seems less interested in a clash with Usyk or Joshua.

Fury did say in an interview on Tuesday that a fight with Usyk appeals to him more than an all-British bout with Joshua, something the “Gypsy King” reiterated on Wednesday. Fury poured cold water on the chances of such a contest coming to fruition, however, declaring that it would require an immense fee for him to fight professionally again.

“I’d probably want half a [billion] to come out of retirement,” Fury told talkSPORT.

“I’m telling you the truth, if you want me out of retirement, it’s gonna cost half a billi.”

Tyson Fury knocked out Dillian Whyte to retain the WBC heavyweight title in April (Nick Potts/PA) (PA Wire)

Explaining why a fight with Usyk is more exciting to him than an in-ring meeting with Joshua, Fury referenced “AJ”’s 2019 stoppage loss to Andy Ruiz Jr and points defeat by Usyk.

“AJ’s bubble’s been burst, he’s been beat twice,” Fury said. “He ain’t a virgin anymore; he’s been battered from pillar to post by a fat man on three weeks’ notice and by a middleweight.

“Usyk hasn’t [been beaten], but that’s a middleweight coming up from cruiserweight to heavyweight – none of my interest at all.

“If it’s half a billi, then I won’t say no, will I? What you’ve gotta do is go and get half a billi, and then the ‘Gypsy King’ will come out and solve all [Usyk’s] problems for him.

“Because if AJ gets beat again off Usyk, then there’s only gonna be one man to redeem this great fighting nation of the United Kingdom, and he goes by the name of Tyson Fury. I can solve all the problems, the embarrassment, all that stuff that’s gonna happen.

“One call, but it’s gonna cost half a billi. £500m or $500m, I don’t care – as long as it’s half a billi.”