WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury appears to have turned his back on his proposed 5 December clash with Agit Kabayel.
The 32-year-old British fighter posted on his Twitter account on Sunday that, “The Gypsy King is returning in 2021. Only those that have supported me 100% since my comeback will be with me for the glory.”
Fury had been expected to fight Kabayel next month, but his co-promoter Frank Warren suggested that he wouldn't be back in until February or March — possibly for a trilogy fight against Deontay Wilder.
Fury had said he had "moved on" from another Wilder fight, but the Bronze Bomber disputes that decision, and the pair will go to arbitration in order to resolve the disagreement.
“We did everything we could to get December 5 done but between Top Rank and ESPN, we could not find a way to make it work without fans during the COVID pandemic," Warren told The Daily Mail.
“ESPN hold the TV contract rights over there to his forthcoming fights so it’s the US next for Tyson in late February or March. Although our priority has always been the big fight with (Anthony) Joshua, ideally that would be in the UK.
“So we now await the judge’s findings in America with regard to Wilder. That is still a huge fight in its own right.”
Fury is expected to face Anthony Joshua in 2021 in a fight that could unify the division. A first fight date of 2021 has been suggested, and a rematch is expected regardless of the outcome.
First Joshua has to negotiate his IBF mandatory defence against Kubrat Pulev on 12 December. While the four-belt champion is the heavy favourite, a loss would throw any plans for Joshua vs Fury into disarray.
Joshua is also obliged to fight Oleksandr Usyk to defend his WBO belt, but his camp has suggested he may vacate the belt to facilitate the Fury fight.