Fury closes in on comeback

TYSON Fury insists he remains on course for a return to the ring in early 2018 after signing an advisory role with MTK Global.

The Manchester boxer hasn’t fought since defeating Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015, and is awaiting a hearing with UK AntiDoping for a potential violation.

That hearing is finally set to take place next month, and Fury has maintained his innocence throughout the entire process.

If he is cleared to fight, the 29-year-old plans on having his comeback early next year, and will now do so with the backing of MTK Global, who also have deals with Hughie Fury, Carl Frampton and Billy Joe Saunders. Said Fury: “I love boxing and I need it back in my life. Right now I’m working hard to shift some weight and get in shape to re-enter the ring. That won’t take me long at all and then I’ll be looking for my first opponent in early 2018.

“I couldn’t be happier to sign an advisory deal with MTK Global. It is unbelievable how fast they have grown and what they have achieved in the past few years.

“I spoke to my mate Billy Joe Saunders and he only had good things to say about MTK so it was an easy decision to go with them.

“There are plenty of options for me. Everyone wants to get in the ring for a payday with me, so we’ll sit down and decide who we choose but everyone knows the fights I really want. I want to knock out Anthony Joshua and I want to knock out Deontay Wilder and I believe by the time those fights happen they will be to unify the heavyweight division.”

Fury has been training at Ricky Hatton’s gym in Hyde over the past week, and is said to have already lost several stone.

He won the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles against Klitschko during their fight in Germany, but after vacating those belts, Joshua now holds the WBA, IBF and IBO versions, while Joseph Parker is WBO champion.