Tyson Fury Names Three Fights. Only One Looks Real

Anthony Joshua sits at the top of Fury’s wish list, at least in theory. That fight has hovered over the division for years, sustained by money and nostalgia more than timing. But Joshua’s recent car accident, which tragically claimed the lives of two close friends, has shifted the conversation entirely. According to his family, Joshua has told them he intends to retire. Whether that decision holds is almost beside the point. For now, it removes the fight from any realistic planning.

Usyk remains the second name. He holds three of the four major heavyweight titles and has already beaten Fury twice. A third fight would require more than interest. It would require Fury to reinsert himself competitively into the picture, something that cannot be done on reputation alone. Usyk’s calendar is already filling with legacy considerations. Fury is no longer first in line.

That leaves Fabio Wardley, the newly elevated WBO champion, as the most tangible option. Fury has acknowledged as much, calling Wardley a possible opponent after a long layoff. It is an honest admission. Wardley has the belt. He has momentum. And unlike the other two names, he is available.

The risk, of course, runs in only one direction. Wardley would gain everything from the fight. Fury would be stepping straight back into danger against a younger, active champion with little to lose. The upside is historical rather than strategic.

Fury has returned before. He has won titles after absences before. But this time the division is less forgiving, and the exits are narrower. Naming opponents is easy. Making one of those fights happen, and surviving it, is something else entirely.