Tyson Fury has called for any potential World heavyweight title clash with Anthony Joshua to take place in Ireland as opposed to the UK.
Speaking to RTÉ's Hugh Cahill on Game On 2FM, Fury accepted Joshua is likely to fight Wladimir Klitschko again later this year due to the rematch clause in Klitschko's contract, but maintained that a fight between 'The Gypsy King' and the 2012 Olympic gold medallist was now the biggest in the heavyweight division.
Fury told RTÉ:
No one's interested in seeing me fight Klitschko again. So, fingers cross, AJ can beat Wladimir again and we get the fight people want to see.
You've got the boxer vs the fighter. You've got the powerhouse vs the fleet-footed dancer. You've got Mr. Nice, AJ, vs the most controversial man in sport, Mr. Fury. You've got the great British hope in AJ and you've got the great Irish heavyweight in Tyson Fury.
It makes for a great clash of styles and a great clash of backgrounds.
Fury, who beat Belfast's Martin Rogan for the Irish heavyweight title back in 2012 having already won Commonwealth and British straps, then expanded upon his Irish roots when asked by Cahill.
I am the first Irish heavyweight champion of the world. Me, Tyson Fury. Under Queensbury Rules, I am the first Irish heavyweight champion of the world.
I'm very proud of it as well.
My father's originally from Galway, the Furys, and my mother's side of the family are from Belfast. I've got Irish on both sides.
I won the Irish title in 2012.
The RING Magazine heavyweight king's claims to be Ireland's first ever World heavyweight champion are not strictly true, however. All-time heavyweight great Gene Tunney, who twice beat the iconic Jack Dempsey in the mid-20s, was also born to two Irish parents, and therefore could stake a claim to being as Irish as Fury.
Fury, however, has always been forthcoming with regards to his Irish heritage, and went as far as to call for any prospective fight with Joshua (who's one-eighth Irish, in case you're wondering) to take place at GAA headquarters as opposed to the UK. He also stated in no uncertain terms why he'd be confident of dethroning the new heavyweight king.
If [Joshua] fights Klitschko again, that'll be two fights this year. We may be looking next year. Maybe March. Maybe a St. Patrick's Day fight at Croke Park - how about that? Never mind Wembley Stadium.
If I could design at fighter to fight, it would be Anthony Joshua, a big weight lifter who’s looking for one punch, he’s a boxer’s dream.
You don’t need to make AJ throw a million punches to gas, AJ will gas on his own muscle juice after four or five rounds. He’s that big and muscly that if he’s made fight for a few rounds, he has to take the same amount of rounds to get his wind back.
I could guarantee I’d box his face off, without a doubt - easy work. I had Klitschko as my easiest fight but I’d rephrase that now, AJ will be my easiest fight.
A Joshua-Fury fight at Croke Park isn't wholly inconceivable. With Tottenham set to play their home games at Wembley from next season, 'AJ' might well be forced to embark on a stadium tour of some description.
Katie Taylor is also a stablemate of Joshua's at Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Promotions, and would presumably be the ideal co-headliner for a potential mega event in Dublin. For now, however, it remains a pipedream, and Fury's first obstacle is a UKAD hearing in which he'll learn when he can box again after doping violations. This may not be completed until the end of the year.
You can listen to Fury's Game On 2FM interview with Hugh Cahill in full below:
