Tyson Fury is not one to shy away from a challenge.
‘The Gypsy King’ has fought some of the greatest fighters of his generation such as long-reigning heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko and undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Fury doesn’t want to box Joseph Parker as he thinks it would affect their friendshipCredit: Joseph Parker – Instagram
He also famously shared a brutal trilogy with one of the most destructive punchers in the history of the sport in Deontay Wilder.
But there is one boxer he admits he will never face – his long-time training partner and close friend Joseph Parker.
Asked last year if he would ever entertain a fight with Parker, Fury, who was the WBC heavyweight champion at the time, replied: “Definitely not.
“No. I’d rather give him the belt than fight him for it.
“We’re too close for that fight and there’s plenty of heavyweights out there.
“He doesn’t need to fight me, I don’t want to get beat up, sorry!”
Fury may be forced to make the tough decision if he defeats Usyk when they rematch for the WBA ‘super’, WBO and WBC titles on December 21.
Parker picked up the WBO ‘interim’ title by beating Zhilei Zhang in his last outing in March and would be next in line in the sanctioning body rotation system to face the winner.
Parker may be mandated to face Fury if they both keep winningCredit: GETTY
The expectation is that whoever emerges victorious from Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua’s all-British showdown for the IBF strap on September 21 will be next in line for a shot at Usyk or Fury.
However, the WBO could throw a spanner in the works by mandating Parker to box the unified heavyweight champion.
Of course, a step-aside fee can be agreed to allow the original plan to go ahead and Parker would likely take this to avoid causing his close friend a headache should he end up in possession of three of the four major sanctioning body belts at the back end of the year.
Although Parker’s stance on fighting Fury is slightly different.
“If it ever came down to it and Tyson was No. 1 and I was No. 2, and there was no one else to fight, and it could help me and my family and secure us for the rest of our lives, I think Tyson and I could do something together,” he said earlier this year.
“But I have the utmost respect for the guy and what he has done for my career, and if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be where I am today.
“But if it has to come down to it I think we can put everything aside and do it before we sit down after the fight and say, ‘Hey man, you caught me with that good shot,’ and that sort of thing if you know what I mean.”