Tyson Fury’s return timetable revealed by promoter Bob Arum

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Tyson Fury might have spoken about not having the “need to fight” any longer after successfully defending his heavyweight title in the defeat of Deontay Wilder, but Bob Arum isn’t expecting retirement for the Brit any time soon.

In fact, he’s already pinpointing dates for Fury to fight twice in 2022.

The American promoter spoke to FightHub to explain when the next big clashes could come, and hinted at who those bouts could come between - starting with the rematch between Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk.

“Joshua and Usyk, I think they’re going to wait until April 4,’ Arum said.

“I think Fury will fight again in March or April. Then we can look to a September or October match for a unification.”

That unification fight, Arum says, probably won’t be the Fury vs Joshua encounter which the boxing world hoped to see in 2020 or 2021, before contracts, court orders and coronavirus dictated otherwise.

He feels Usyk is “too talented” for Joshua to win the rematch, and says the Brit’s “suspect chin” precludes any hopes he might have of using a superior weight to force the issue in the corner.

Before those fights next year, another pair of potential challengers to Fury face off, with Dillain Whyte facing Otto Wallin at the end of October.

That could be another occasion where a British fighter falls short, says Arum, meaning he wouldn’t bet on Fury being pitted against the 33-year-old former kickboxing champion.

“I don’t think Dillian Whyte beats Wallin. I mean Tyson fought Wallin, he’s a tough, tough Swedish dude. So let’s see how Whyte does with Wallin before we make plans for Fury to fight Whyte.”