Are we heading toward another boxing match featuring a UFC star and one of the sweet science's most prominent names?
On Monday, during an appearance on the "Helwani Show," UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic said he is more interested in fighting lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in a boxing contest than stepping back into the octagon for a trilogy bout against Daniel Cormier.
The "Gypsy King" wasted little time responding to Miocic's callout. If you thought Fury would rebuff the challenge from the former Golden Gloves champion and two-time UFC heavyweight titleholder, think again.
“Stipe says he wants to box me — that would be a good fight for sure,” Fury said in a statement released by his management company MTK Global on Tuesday. “After I get [Deontay] Wilder out of the way, I’ll fight Stipe in a boxing match if he wants it."
Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs) competed two times in 2019: a second-round TKO win over Tom Schwarz in June and a tougher-than-expected unanimous decision victory of Otto Wallin in September. He's expected to face Wilder in February in a rematch if the latter can get by Luis Ortiz when they meet once again on Nov. 23.
Boxing and MMA crossed paths in the boxing ring back in August 2017 when Floyd Mayweather dominated Conor McGregor to win by 10th-round TKO. If the Englishman gets by Wilder, he'll gladly welcome Miocic over into his world. Fury vows if a clash with Miocic comes to fruition, the result will be the same as Mayweather-McGregor.
"It would be a big crossover fight like [Floyd] Mayweather and [Conor] McGregor," Fury said. "I’m open to that fight, so he should come and see me. It would be the same outcome for any of them. They’ll all get smashed.”