Tyson Fury confirmed that he would face Derek Chisora in a trilogy fight on December 3 at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for Fury's WBC heavyweight title.
On Thursday, Fury tweeted confirmation of the fight, which will air on ESPN+, as the two heavyweights square off for the first time since 2014.
Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs) said he retired following a sixth-round TKO win over Dillian Whyte but changed course in August, claiming he would fight Chisora a third time.
"The Gypsy King" then insisted in September that he was in serious talks for a December 3 fight with former champion Anthony Joshua, representing one of the biggest events in all boxing. However, a source found that talks between Fury's promoter Frank Warren and Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn fell through on September 29.
Joshua accepted 40% to Fury's 60%, but the champion claimed he had passed a self-imposed deadline. In reality, a source said, Fury and Chisora were deep in negotiations as the deal for their fight neared the finish line.
Oleksandr Usyk beat Joshua for the dual time in August to have all three heavyweight titles, and it looked like he would satisfy Fury for the agreed championship next. However, Fury expressed that he needed to fight one more time in 2022, while Usyk said he would not be ready until next year when he recovered from injuries.
A Fury fight to keep busy makes sense before a likely matchup with Usyk, and Chisora fits the bill. The 38-year-old snapped a three-fight losing streak with a split decision victory over Kubrat Pulev in July and has a recognizable name in the UK. Still, it's rare for two boxers to fight a third time when the first two bouts weren't competitive.
A showdown with Chisora is also a huge disappointment after the Joshua fight was talked about for weeks as negotiations played out through the media. If nothing else, it should be a prelude to a Fury-Usyk showdown next year.
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