On the 43rd anniversary of the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’, former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has vowed to emulate Muhammad Ali and return to his throne as the king of the division.
On October 30, 1974, a 32-year-old Ali upset the fearsome and undefeated George Foreman in Zaire to reclaim the world heavyweight title in one of the greatest fights of all time.
Four decades on Fury, who has not fought since defeating Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015, has called out Anthony Joshua and WBC champion Deontay Wilder as he bids to win back the belts he lost following self-confessed problems with drugs and depression.
Tyson Fury has vowed to emulate Muhammad Ali and reclaim the world heavyweight title
In Zaire in 1974, a 32-year-old Ali upset the unbeaten George Foreman to return to his throne
Fury has called out Anthony Joshua and vowed to ‘destroy’ Britain’s WBA and IBF champion
Alongside a photograph of Ali-Foreman, the 29-year-old wrote on Instagram: ‘This is what’s to come! The old champ coming back to fight a man who everyone thinks will KO me, same as Ali vs Foreman. The stylish Ali vs the mummy Foreman!
‘We all know what happens in this fight! I know you all got me whooped, but I will not lay down or be afraid of some muscles (and) I have the mentality of a winner a man who has never lost a fight. A true champion coming back to claim his thrown,
‘This is my era they are from my time, I must destroy them. AJ & Wilder I’m coming back for you pair my mission is seek & destroy the only thing on my mind is destruction who ever gets in my way will be dealt with accordingly.’
Fury has made several comeback announcements over the past 12 months but is currently without a licence from the British Boxing Board of Control.
The 29-year-old has also challenged the WBC world champion Deontay Wilder to a fight
Joseph Parker is WBO champion but Fury has said the New Zealand fighter ‘is not on my radar’
He is also still the subject of a UK Anti-Doping hearing. But the 29-year-old has nonetheless called on his rivals to give the fans what they want and let the best heavyweights fight the best.
‘There’s only one winner & that’s the fans! Let’s make the heavyweights great again, fight the best in the division, Fury= Lineal champ,
‘Joshua = IBF-IBO-WBA (champion) ,Wilder= WBC, (Joseph) Parker= WBO. But to be fair Parker is only a young lad & is not on my radar he must gain experience & mature in to a big, strong man. I hold my destiny in my own hands. May the best man win good luck everyone.
‘2018-2019 the world will see the best fights & see the true heavyweight king re-crowned.’
In a video posted to his official Instagram account, Fury promised he would ‘obliterate’ Joshua
During his 23-month hiatus from the ring, Fury has ballooned up in weight. But on Tuesday the heavyweight tweeted that even at 25st he could still beat Joshua and Wilder: ‘My style is unbeatable. Ask Wlad,’ he wrote.
The self-styled ‘Gypsy King’ also posted a video of himself out running in which he thanked Wilder for giving him the ‘motivation’ to come back and promised to ‘obliterate’ Joshua.
‘Guess who’s back… the one and only! A shout going out to the big Bronze Bomber Deontay Wilder,’ he said. ‘Big respect for giving me the motivation, telling me I can’t do it and I’m finished
‘I’m coming back for you baby, I’m coming back for you. I’m going to fulfil that promise I made to you a few years ago, you know what I’m talking about. And I’m coming back for the big stiff man (Joshua), the man who struggled with a midget (Carlos Takam).
‘Why would he want to be in with the gypsy king? 6ft 9ins, 18-and-a-half stone, in shape, fast, I’ll obliterate you boy!’