WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will take on Derek Chisora for the third time in his career at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in December but the chances of him fighting Anthony Joshua appear to be fading.
The 34-year-old Fury will face veteran Chisora on Dec. 3 having beaten him comfortably in 2011 and 2014.
It will be Fury’s first fight since stopping Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium in April but not the one many had wanted with the prospect of a clash with Joshua diminishing.
Talks between the Fury and Joshua camps broke down last month with Fury’s co-promoter Frank Warren saying fellow Britain Chisora was the highest available contender, although leading bookmakers immediately made him the 10-1 underdog.
After beating Whyte, Fury announced he was retiring but has since said he wants a unification bout against Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk next year after Usyk beat Joshua for the second time on a split decision in Saudi Arabia in August.
Usyk holds the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles.
Fury is unbeaten in 32 fights while Chisora, 38, ended a run of three successive losses when he beat Kubrat Pulev in July.
At a news conference at the Tottenham stadium on Thursday, Fury explained why he is fighting Chisora again.
“I don’t need to sell this to anyone,” said Fury. “We offered it to others but there was no smoke. We offer it to Derek Chisora and boom. He’s sat here opposite me.
“He’s got balls and today there is a lack of balls in society. With Derek Chisora you get what it says on the tin. He goes to war. When you have got two heavy forces colliding with massive bombs someone’s getting knocked out.
“We will put on a hell of a fight. I respect Derek and I’m a fan of Derek. He’s fought everybody, all the great of this generation. He’s got 12 losses but nearly all to world champions. Usyk handled Joshua far easier than he handled Derek. He brings his A game every time.
“But it won’t be good enough to beat me.”
Fury arrived at his press conference brandishing 10,000 pounds in a wad of notes — the winnings of a bet with Warren that the fight with Joshua would not get made.
Warren said provided Fury beats Chisora, he could face Usyk in February, but not in the UK.
