Tyson Fury will consider coming out of retirement for 'half a billion'

Heavyweight champion had earlier said he could face Joshua or Usyk for the right price

Tyson Fury celebrates with his belts after beating Dillian Whyte by sixth-round stoppage. AP

Tyson Fury celebrates his knockout win over Dillian Whyte to retain his WBC heavyweight title at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, April 23, 2022 as referee Mark Lyson supports Whyte on the ropes. Reuters

Tyson Fury celebrates with his wife Paris, right, and trainer SugarHill Steward. AP

Tyson Fury knocks down Dillian Whyte during their WBC heavyweight title fight. AP

Tyson Fury celebrates after knocking down Dillian Whyte during their WBC heavyweight title fight. PA

Dillian Whyte is surrounded by his team after his defeat to Tyson Fury at Wembley Stadium. PA

Tyson Fury throws a jab at Dillian Whyte. AP

Tyson Fury lands a right cross on Dillian Whyte during their WBC world heavyweight title fight. Getty

Tyson Fury lands a body punch on Dillian Whyte during the WBC world heavyweight title fight. Getty

Dillian Whyte lands a reaching cross on Tyson Fury during their WBC world heavyweight title fight. Getty

Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte exchange punches during their WBC world heavyweight title fight. Getty

Tyson Fury during his ring walk ahead of his WBC heavyweight title fight against Dillian Whyte. PA

Fireworks are set off during Tyson Fury's ring walk for his WBC heavyweight title boxing fight against Dillian Whyte. AP

Tyson Fury sits on a throne during his ring walk to face Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium. Getty

Tyson Fury pumps his arms to the crowd during his ring walk to fight Dillian Whyte. Getty

Tyson Fury soaks up the cheers from the crowd during his ring walk ahead of his fight against Dillian Whyte. Reuters

Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury on Wednesday qualified his earlier statement that hinted at a potential return, stating on social media that he would come out of retirement only for "half a billion".

Fury, 33, had declared in April that he was calling time on his undefeated professional career after defending his WBC world title at Wembley Stadium, knocking out Dillian Whyte in the sixth round.

Thereafter, a crossover exhibition clash with UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou was proposed. However, a unification fight against Oleksandr Usyk or Anthony Joshua remained the favourite talking point. Usyk is expected to defend the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts he claimed from Joshua last September in the rematch this summer.

In an interview with Queensberry Promotions on Tuesday, Fury said: "We've got some very exciting news coming. I think the world's been waiting for our plan of action.”

Asked if he would return to boxing, Fury replied: "One hundred per cent, like [movie character] Jerry Maguire said, 'Show me the money!'

"If anybody can show me the money ... I put a moniker on [promoter] Frank Warren years ago, I called him the 'Magic Man'. Because if he can bring somebody back from absolutely dead, like he did with me, he must have magic."

Later on Wednesday, Fury took to Twitter to explain that he remains retired and that he would consider coming back only for a gargantuan sum.

"Quick message to let everybody know that I, the Gypsy King, am happily retired. But to get me out of retirement, considering I don't need the money, I don't need the aggravation ... it's gonna cost these people half a billy, 500 million," Fury said in the video.

In the earlier interview, Fury said he was in no hurry to finalise his next move.

"There's something to be really excited about, but it doesn't involve Usyk or Joshua at this moment. I will make a decision on all this. I've only just fought, not even three months ago. I wouldn't be expected to fight until October, November, December anyway," he had said.

"I've got no mandatories coming up. No one is rushing me to do anything.

"When this middleweight [Usyk] knocks out this bodybuilder [Joshua] again, there's only going to be one man to sort this absolute circus out, isn't there?

"What I would say to the people who want this fight to happen: 'You better have a big chequebook, because to bring the big [Gypsy King] out of retirement, to redeem this country yet again, it's going to cost'."