Odd man out? Tyson Fury calls out Usyk, Joyce, Wilder … but not Francis Ngannou

Tyson Fury made easy work of Derek Chisora tonight (Sat., Dec. 3, 2022) in front of a sold-out crowd inside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. While the fight wasn’t competitive in the least, Fury did his best to make up for it with some spectacle before and after the fight. The eventual tenth round mercy stoppage by the referee was a good two to three rounds late, and came with a smattering of boos from the otherwise chuffed and cheerful crowd of 60,000 people.

Immediately afterward, Fury calles out Oleksandr Usyk, who was in attendance for the bout, but initially didn’t enter the ring … until Fury demanded he did. Fury then ranted right in the face of the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight champion.

“Usyk! You’re next you little b—h!” Fury roared. “You’re next. You. Are. Next! Me and you shall connect. Me and you! You getting it, little sucker. Rabbit! Horsey! Look here: 15 stone little midget beats a body builder. Well, I ain’t a body builder, sucka. I’m gonna write you off. I already got one Ukranian in Klitschko, and I’ll do you as well. You ugly little man. You ugly little man! Let’s get it on! Let’s get it on, you as well. You may laugh now, but I’ll end this little sucker. End you! Eeeend you!”

Fury’s challenge had turned into something of a villain’s rant by the end, and it was clear he was having fun with it. Usyk, by comparison, looked generally bored and unresponsive. Only when Fury mentioned beating another Ukrainian in Wladimir Klitschko did Usyk widen his eyes in mock fear.

Up-and-coming WBO interim Heavyweight champion, Joe Joyce, jumped in on the impromptu ringside promo once it was clear Usyk wasn’t going to speak.

“Why don’t us three do a Royal Rumble?” Fury yelled. “Come on! Big Joe Joyce is here, and Big Joe Joyce is a warrior. I’ll tell you what, Joe, I’m the only one that called your name out. Everyone else is scared of ya. So if this little rabbit don’t want any of it, let’s me and you my brother do it at Wembley. Come on Joe Joyce! Come on Joe!”

It was a nice little promo and nice to see Fury set a backup opponent in case negotiations with Usyk stall, but Fury clearly saw the Ukranian as his next opponent. He mentioned Usyk again moments later before revealing his plans for a return to America against … Deontay Wilder?

“Let me get through Usyk, then I’ll be back in Las Vegas to do [Deontay] Wilder 4,” Fury said. Wilder 4! Yeah, maybe at Allegiant Stadium.”

One name that didn’t come up at all? UFC Heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou, who climbed into the ring after “The Gypsy King” stopped Dillian Whyte back in April. For whatever reason, Ngannou went from being at the top of Fury’s list of potential opponents to not even getting a name drop in the conversation.

Despite Ngannou spending all of 2022 complaining about how badly UFC has treated him in the past, reports have now have “The Predator” leaning toward re-signing with the promotion. Whether Fury has moved on because Ngannou is staying in mixed martial arts (MMA) or Ngannou is staying in MMA because Fury has moved on is unclear. But, back in April with both Fury and Ngannou in the ring together, a fight seemed inevitable.

Now, it’s like it never was … and most likely never will be.

For complete ‘Fury vs. Chisora 3’ results and coverage click here.