Tyson Fury reunites with SugarHill Steward as Gypsy King ignites boxing return rumours

Tyson Fury has added further fuel to the fire of a potential boxing return after linking back up with esteemed boxing trainer SugarHill Steward amidst a cryptic social media post on Monday evening.

The Morecambe man officially signalled his retirement plans just a few days after his second professional loss to Oleksandr Usyk in December, but has since continuously hinted at a return.

The 36-year-old has already revealed that he is back in training, posting a series of videos across his social media platforms last month, and has now further boosted the hopes of a domestic showdown with Anthony Joshua after reuniting with his American boxing coach.

Posting a video of the two men together on Instagram on Monday evening, Fury said:

Just in the gym and I happened to bump into somebody that you might know (SugarHill Steward). We are back, you know what is coming.

The former lineal heavyweight champion shocked the boxing world when he announced his latest retirement from the sport following a second successive points defeat to Usyk in their huge Riyadh rematch.

Despite his departure from the sport, fight fans and boxing insiders have always held belief that Fury could still have his head turned by the riches on offer from Turki Alalshikh, with the Riyadh Season boss still wanting to stage what many perceive to still be the biggest fight in heavyweight boxing, Fury v Anthony Joshua.

"You never know whether Tyson did it (posted the video) because he was just punching the bag and wanted to film it, or whether he wanted to get people excited about a potential return," Matchroom promoter Hearn told Boxing News earlier this month.

"I was excited, truth be told, because Tyson isn't a fighter in decline. When a fighter retires and they are past their best I get it, but Tyson isn't.

That is what gives me hope that one day he just picks up the phone to AJ (Anthony Joshua), Frank (Warren) or Spencer (Brown) and says let's do it, let's give the world the biggest fight out there.

The two domestic rivals have long been mooted to share the ring, and have even inked agreements in the past to do so before seeing the plug pulled on the blockbuster bout.

An undisputed world title showdown was all but agreed in 2021, only for the fight to be cancelled after Deontay Wilder surprisingly invoked his rematch clause for a trilogy showdown with Fury after the Morecambe man had battered the American in the United States.

A second chance to stage the showdown was also missed later that year after Joshua was forced to defend his IBF, WBA and WBO titles against number one contender Usyk; a fight he subsequently lost, before being beaten a second time in the rematch late in 2022.

But, despite both men relinquishing possession of their previously held world titles, Fury v Joshua remains a fight with huge appeal, and it appears to be the fight that continues to get AJ's juices flowing.

The two-time champion of the world posted 'Watching this fight makes me proud to be British' on X (formerly twitter) during this past weekend's colossal tussle between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn.

And, maybe, just maybe, he could have been hinting at another box office all-British affair later this year...

Mark Mothershaw

• Tyson Fury
• Matchroom
• Queensberry
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