Tyson Fury has changed his mind about fighting Joseph Parker. The heavyweight champion now says he'd face his friend and training partner if it meant a big payday for Parker.
Fury's new stance is a complete turnaround from what he said before. He used to rule out any chance of fighting Parker, saying:
"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. I don't want to get beat up, sorry."
But now, Fury seems more open to the idea. In a recent interview with Pro Boxing Fans, he said:
"Joseph Parker, Well listen, if it's going to make him life changing money and help his family and kids I'm sure he will."
Fury and Parker are close friends. The "Gypsy King" has brought Parker to Morecambe for full training camps and even helped him team up with coach Andy Lee.
This change of heart comes after Fury's recent loss to Oleksandr Usyk in May 2023. It was a tough fight, with Fury even getting a 10-8 round against him in the ninth when he was nearly out on his feet.
Fury's not done with boxing yet. He's got a rematch with Usyk set for December 2023, where he'll try to get back the only loss on his record.
Meanwhile, Parker's been on a roll. He's beaten big names like Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. His win over Zhang even earned him the WBO interim heavyweight title. This puts him in a good spot for a title shot if the belts get split up after the Fury-Usyk rematch.
While a fight between Fury and Parker isn't set in stone, it's now a possibility. It's a big change from before, showing how quickly things can shift in the world of boxing.
