The ever-unpredictable world of heavyweight boxing has thrown up another potential twist for Tyson Fury. While fans and commentators speculate about future clashes with rivals like Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua, “The Gypsy King” has received a rather intriguing and public offer: a grand farewell fight hosted on Russian soil, spearheaded by the International Boxing Association (IBA).
This unexpected proposal surfaced during Fury`s recent visit to Istanbul, where he attended an IBA event as a special guest. Amidst fulfilling various media duties and reiterating his preference for a third fight with Usyk or a long-awaited showdown with Joshua, IBA President Umar Kremelev seized the opportunity to make a very specific pitch directly to the lineal heavyweight champion.
Kremelev expressed a strong desire for the IBA to play a part in what he hopes will be Fury`s final professional ring appearance. “We would love to make a professional fight for you — a farewell bout, as the king of boxing,” Kremelev stated. Adding a notable claim, he continued, “You started your career with the IBA, so you have to complete your career with IBA!” This assertion about Fury`s career origin might raise an eyebrow or two among those familiar with his professional debut history, but the message from the IBA chief was unequivocally clear: they want a piece of the potential `Gypsy King` swansong.
Tyson Fury, who has become as famous for his retirement announcements and subsequent un-retirements as for his boxing prowess, seemed surprisingly receptive to the idea. Despite having recently announced (via Instagram, no less) a hypothetical third bout against Usyk potentially taking place at Wembley Stadium in April 2026, Fury entertained the Russian proposal.
He referenced a past, unrealized plan to visit Red Square in winter, envisioning the scene with a fur coat and snow. More pertinently for a modern-day star, Fury highlighted the significant global television exposure such an event could generate, particularly mentioning his ongoing Netflix reality show. “It would be very good to see Russia on the TV worldwide — 500 million, a billion people — very good for relations,” Fury commented, before pragmatically directing the IBA leadership to discuss the specifics with his manager, Spencer Brown.
It`s worth noting that this isn`t an isolated instance of the IBA expressing interest in bringing high-profile professional boxing events to Russia. The organization has also voiced ambitions for hosting the anticipated third fight between light heavyweights Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev. While promoter Turki Alalshikh, who successfully staged the first two fights in Saudi Arabia, has reportedly given his `blessing` for a potential Russian venue for the trilogy, the IBA`s exact involvement in promoting such major professional contests remains a topic of discussion within the sport.
For now, the possibility of Tyson Fury lacing up his gloves for a potential grand finale in Moscow adds yet another fascinating, and characteristically unpredictable, layer to the ongoing saga surrounding the conclusion of his remarkable career. Whether this proposition gains any real traction remains to be seen, but it certainly ensures that the boxing world continues to watch “The Gypsy King`s” next move with keen interest.
