Tyson Fury has been called out by a former heavyweight champion who could scupper the 37-year-old’s expected clash with Anthony Joshua later this year.
The two Brits are set to collide in October or November, only Joshua must first defeat Kristian Prenga in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on July 25.
Fury, meanwhile, is targeting another warm-up fight, possibly in August, following his unanimous decision victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov last month.
Prior to beating Makhmudov, ‘The Gypsy King’ had not fought since 2024, when he suffered consecutive points defeats to Oleksandr Usyk in May and December.
It appears that Fury is eager to make up for lost time, wanting one more fight before finally colliding with long-time rival Joshua.
Among the names that have been mentioned, Andy Ruiz Jr has seemingly been the most forthcoming in his pursuit of facing the two-time heavyweight champion.
Despite having not fought since his draw with Jarrell Miller in August 2024, the American, who suffered a hand injury in that fight, is now preparing to end two years of inactivity and wants lock horns with Fury.
Speaking with talkSPORT, Ruiz insisted that, even if their showdown does not materialise in August, he will nonetheless be targeting a Fury fight in the next 12 months.
“That’s exactly why I had to come over here [to Egypt] and show my face, to let them know that Andy’s back, Andy’s recovered and he’s in good shape.
“In the next 12 months, or before I retire… I want Tyson Fury.”
Known for his huge upset victory over Joshua in 2019, when he became a unified world champion, Ruiz has fought on a largely sporadic basis since losing their rematch later that year.