Eddie Hearn 'expects' Tyson Fury to stage imminent boxing return

Tyson Fury's recent link-up with trainer SugarHill Steward has got tongues wagging that Tyson Fury could be set to make his professional boxing return, and Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed he 'fully expects' the Gypsy King to imminently reverse his retirement plans.

The 36-year-old announced his decision to hang up his boxing gloves earlier this year in the immediate aftermath of his unanimous points defeat at the hands of Oleksandr Usyk in December.

It was the second time the Ukrainian had seen off the Gypsy King, having previously done so seven months earlier where he scored a narrow split-decision success to inflict a first professional defeat upon the Morecambe man.

Fury's retirement plans were announced in January, with the fighter dropping a crypic Dick Turpin jibe, seemingly taking a pop at the three ringside officials who all scored the rematch in Usyk's favour.

However, Fury has started to hint at a potential return in recent weeks, with rumours escalating yet further with the news that esteemed American trainer SugarHill Steward, and the Gypsy King's long-term nutritionist, had linked back up with the two-time heavyweight champion of the world.

A long-mooted domestic blockbuster with Anthony Joshua remains the one fight that would likely tempt Fury back into competetive action, and speaking live on talkSPORT on Thursday, AJ's promoter, Hearn, stated his belief that a return is imminent.

"Tyson’s got a history of teasing a few bits and pieces when boxing's hot, just as it is right now," he said.

He (Fury) would have watched Chris Eubank Jr v Conor Benn on Saturday, and must have just thought to himself, 'I could be involved in something bigger.'

"It would be even bigger, which is hard to fathom, and then of course Oleksandr Usyk v Daniel Dubois 2 gets announced.

"Tyson's a competitor, he's still got plenty left in the tank and I expect him to be back. We just hope that's for an Anthony Joshua fight, but I guess that's down to him."

Fury v Joshua has been pone of the most speculated fights in boxing history, with talk surrounding a dust-up first being mentioned over a decade ago.

But, whilst discussions have taken place in the past - with an agreement being all but finalised on a couple of occasions - fight fans have still yet to see the pair share the ring.

That could change this year however, with Hearn feeling that the colossal clash would be far easier to make now than anytime in the past.

"I do think it can be easily made - in the past, it's always been: one's a champion, one's a challenger, but now, both guys are in a similar position: they're coming off a defeat... Fury two defeats, both to Oleksandr Usyk.

"They're both still pretty much in their prime, and as we saw last Saturday, sometimes you don't need the world championship belt.

"Sometimes when you've got two champions trying to become undisputed it's a little bit cagey. Benn v Eubank Jr was just a great example of two guys that just went to war, and that's exactly what you'd get with AJ against Fury."

Mark Mothershaw

• Tyson Fury
• Matchroom
• Queensberry
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