Tyson Fury: I Don’t Care About The Belts, Really

Over the weekend (Sat. December 1, 2018), Tyson Fury made a triumphant return to the highest levels of his sport in a heavyweight boxing contest.

Fury challenged Deontay Wilder for the WBC heavyweight title of the world. Many believe Fury did enough to earn the decision victory after 12 rounds, despite being knocked down twice. However, when the decisions were read, a controversial split decision draw was awarded.

Wilder and Fury are likely to rematch one another down the road. But heavyweight king Anthony Joshua still waits in the shadows, and both Fury and Wilder want their crack at the Englishman. Speaking to The Telegraph recently, Fury said he’s a fighting man and is more than willing to rematch Wilder next. However, he hasn’t forgotten about Joshua, who is holding three of ‘his’ belts:

“I would fight Deontay Wilder again because I’m a fighting man and so is Deontay Wilder. I know Deontay Wilder is going to want the rematch, but I can’t speak for him. But you’ve got a guy in England [Joshua] with three belts out of the picture. My belts.”

While most boxers seem to be more focused on making it through their career without a loss, Fury has other aspirations. It seems that Fury simply wants to entertain the masses, and put on the fights that the fans want to see. As for the championship belts, he doesn’t really care for them:

“I hope the best do fight the best because it is great for the fans and great for boxing. That is what we are here to do. We are not here to get a 100-0 record. We are here to put entertaining fights on while we are in the era and active.

“I wouldn’t like to go through my career knowing I didn’t fight the best. I’m sat here with a draw today but everybody knows the truth and I don’t feel any lesser of a man. I know I won that fight, I know it and the world knows it, too.”

But even with Joshua holding what he calls his belts, Fury isn’t too concerned. He said it’s more a matter of pride being the lineal champion anyhow:

“I don’t care about the belts, really. They are just borrowed belts. I don’t really class them as world title belts because I’ve got them at home in my living room. They are all mine still. I’m happy that I’m the lineal heavyweight champion of the world.

“I hold it with pride, respect and honour and it means more to me than any belt ever anyway. To have that great lineage going back to the days of John L Sullivan all the way to today, to have my name among them greats, is a very big achievement.”