Oleksandr Usyk has been ordered to defend his WBA title against mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois, complicating a potential unification bout with Tyson Fury.

The Ukrainian, who currently holds the boxing association's 'super' belt, alongside the WBO and IBF titles, had been tipped for a clash with Fury, who holds the WBC crown.

But Dubois, who retained his WBA 'regular' belt this month against Kevin Lerena, has now been ordered to face Usyk next for his crown, in a move that would unify both of the federation's titles.

If there is a saving grace for an Usyk-Fury bout, it is that the latter is represented by Frank Warren, who also handles Dubois through Queensberry Promotions.

That could mean Dubois would wait for the winner of a potential unification showdown, and subsequently face them for a shot at all world titles.

Usyk was also ordered by the IBF last month to hold a mandatory defence against Croatia's Filip Hrgovic, who could be another potential opponent if the Fury bout does not come next.

After defeating Derek Chisora in London earlier this month, Fury talked up Usyk and fellow Briton Joe Joyce as his likely next opponents.

Joyce is currently the WBO's interim champion, and has professed his interest in a clash with his countryman in recent weeks.

Dubois has a 19-1 career record, with his only loss coming at the hands of Joyce.

Former England international Wayne Rooney will join Tyson Fury's camp for a month ahead of a possible bout with Oleksandr Usyk, the boxer has claimed.

The WBC champion saw off old rival Derek Chisora once again at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this month, to set up a potential unification bout with the Ukrainian.

Following his win, ex-Manchester United forward Rooney professed his admiration for Fury, with the latter suggesting he should spar with the D.C. United boss.

Though those comments appeared to be in jest, Fury claimed on Monday his offer was serious, with Rooney set to link up with him in training.

"I spoke to Wayne last night and he’s well up for it," he told ITV. "He's a right-handed person, so he has to switch up to be a southpaw, left-handed. We're going to bring Wayne in for preparation for Usyk.

"[I’m being] very, very serious. He's agreed, so he's going to come into camp for about four weeks and help me. I'm a big fan of his as well."

Across a highly successful club career, Rooney enjoyed domestic and international success with United, before transitioning into management with Derby County.

He was previously the outright record goalscorer for England, until current Three Lions captain Harry Kane matched his haul during the nation's 2-1 defeat to France in the World Cup quarter-finals.

Fury is angling for a bout with Usyk, who defeated Anthony Joshua to take the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO titles before defending them against the Briton once again earlier this year.

Tyson Fury issued a warning to Cristiano Ronaldo, insisting "no matter who you are, age will get you eventually".

The Portugal captain, who entered the World Cup fresh from his acrimonious departure from Manchester United, has scored just once in four appearances in Qatar.

That goal came from the penalty spot against Ghana in his nation's opening match.

Having been criticised by head coach Fernando Santos for his reaction to being substituted during the Group H clash with South Korea, Ronaldo was then dropped for Portugal's comprehensive 6-1 victory over Switzerland in the last 16.

After being left out of the starting line-up, A Selecao have subsequently strongly denied reports the 37-year-old threatened to quit the squad during what is likely to be his swansong at the finals.

Fury - the WBC heavyweight champion and a lifelong United fan - insisted he empathises with Ronaldo, who he feels is no longer at the peak of his powers.

The undefeated boxer drew comparisons with his iconic victory over Wladimir Klitschko in 2015. 

"At the time, beating Klitschko was the Everest," Fury told talkSPORT. 

"I was the heavy underdog, people thought I was going to get smashed to pieces, and he was the unified champion for 11 years and at some point, he thought he was unbeatable.

"But I went over to Germany and beat him. In this game, it's not about how much better somebody is than the other person.

"A lot of it has to do with natural stuff, like age, and at 38 years old, you are on the decline - whether you want to admit it or not.

"If you look at Cristiano Ronaldo, he's 37 years old, he's had the best doctors, the best physiotherapists - he's lived like an egg in Mr Kipling's cake.

"But even Ronaldo is on the slide now.

"So even someone who has looked after himself like that, it catches up to you - so, imagine a boxer who has been punched to pieces for the last 20 years!

"The age factor will not wait for anybody, no matter how you've lived. 

"Whether you've never had a drink in your life, if you've never run on any hard surfaces, no matter who you are, age will get you eventually."

Ronaldo will hope to be reinstated to the starting line-up when Portugal face Morocco in the quarter-finals on Saturday, with his team aiming to reach the semi-finals for only the third time.

A unification bout between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk would come at the "perfect time" for the sport if terms are agreed soon, says WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman.

The Briton downed Derek Chisora in the pair's trilogy bout on Saturday to maintain both the WBC title and his undefeated record.

Fury squared off with Usyk, who saw off Anthony Joshua for a second time earlier this year to retain his WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO belts, after his victory.

Previous hopes for a unification bout over the years have often been hindered by the contradictory mandatory challengers various governing bodies have in place, but Sulaiman is keen to see the pair cross paths imminently.

"This is a perfect time to do a unification," he told Sky Sports News on Monday. "At this time we have no mandatory contenders, so this is a perfect moment for the unification.

"Hopefully it will not get to that point [that we have another mandatory challenger] and the four organisations will accept to sanction the ultimate undisputed fight.

"Mandatories are a complicated process. Each organisation has their own rules, their own agendas, but the importance of this fight is far beyond any organisation.

"We're supporting it, and we'll do everything possible to make sure it takes place."

Fury has indicated he could fight fellow Briton Joe Joyce next, and though Sulaiman acknowledges he would not prevent such a bout, his priority remains setting a match up with Usyk.

Joyce has put together a series of impressive performances to move himself to the verge of title contention, and Sulaiman would not stand in the way of an all-British matchup with Fury.

"No [issue with a Joyce fight]. At this time, as I mentioned, we don't have the mandatory contender yet," he added. "As soon as we have one, we can set timelines. Our ultimate goal is to have a unification."

Tyson Fury took the opportunity to call out Oleksandr Usyk after his TKO victory against Derek Chisora at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Victory came in front of the Ukrainian at ringside, who holds the other three heavyweight belts, and it is widely expected that a unification fight is next on the agenda.

There has not been a unified heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis at the turn of the millennium and such a bout has evaded Fury in recent years, having seen an agreement to fight Anthony Joshua fall away after the pandemic.

Fury has made it abundantly clear on the next step he wants to take in his career, going face-to-face with Usyk in front of the cameras.

"Where's Oleksandr Usyk, the rabbit? You're next, you little b****, you're getting it," he said in the ring.

"15 stone little midget beat a bodybuilder [referring to Anthony Joshua], but I'm not a bodybuilder. I've already beaten one Ukrainian in [Wladimir] Klitschko. Let's get it on. I will end you. What you going to do? You're going to do f*** all.

"I can't wait. All these big fights have been evaded for so long, but they can't run away anymore. They can run but they can't hide."

Fury and Usyk were also joined in the ring by Joe Joyce, with the Gypsy King taking the opportunity to call out his compatriot as a future opponent.

"Why don't us three do a Royal Rumble?" Fury asked. "Big Joe Joyce is here, he's a warrior. Everyone else is scared of you, so if [Usyk] doesn't want it, let's me and you do Wembley.

"I want Oleksandr Usyk next. If not you, Joe Joyce. I've got some hand problems, I've got to maybe have some surgery on my elbow, but after that, I'm open to anyone.

"I had the left done after the [Deontay] Wilder fight, it will take about six to eight weeks to heal. We'll see when we can be ready, we will see when it can be made."

Speaking earlier in the night ahead of the Fury-Chisora fight, Usyk dubbed the potential bout between him and Fury as one that is clamoured for across the globe.

"The whole of Great Britain, the whole world, especially Ukraine, everyone wants to see this fight happen," he told Sky Sports.

Tyson Fury retained his WBC heavyweight title with a TKO victory against old rival Derek Chisora at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Meeting for their trilogy bout eight years after their last fight, Fury remained in control throughout, and it was only a matter of time until the end was called.

The referee called the fight in the 10th round for, although not a stunning victory, a win that again reiterated Fury's requirement for a different calibre of opponent to be truly tested.

With Oleksandr Usyk and Joe Joyce sat ringside, that could be right around the corner in 2023.

Fury and Chisora both promised to be aggressive and push for the knockout immediately from the first bell and were true to their word in the opening round, Chisora landing body shots and more connections than Fury, who had the more powerful swings.

Those strikes from Fury became more aggressive in the second round with a dominant flurry of strong hits, Chisora taking a lot of punishment in the corner, with the onslaught continuing into the third with a series of uppercuts from the champion.

A slower tempo of rounds followed, with Chisora running out of steam, and Fury using his height and weight advantage to lean on his opponent and tire his legs, putting Chisora on the ropes in the eighth as he increased the pressure.

Chisora was showing visible signs of damage at the end of the ninth, with swelling under his right eye, and Fury remained in control as the referee observed closely, looking for one more combination to call the fight, which came in the closing stages of the 10th to complete a routine evening for the Gypsy King.

Tyson Fury says he is "terrified" of hanging up his boxing gloves ahead of a trilogy fight with Derek Chisora

The WBC heavyweight champion will take part in his final bout of the year against his fellow Brit at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, with a potential unification fight against Oleksandr Usyk to come.

Unbeaten Englishman Fury has stated on several occasions that he had retired, only to unsurprisingly resume his illustrious career.

The 34-year-old cannot even bear to think about retirement as he prepares to try and defend his title once again.

"I'm terrified of it," he stated. "Hard is an understatement. I can't think of the most complex word to describe giving this up. It's more addictive than anything on the planet.

"I think going one-on-one with another highly trained athlete, you've got all the crowd there, the electricity of everything.

"While I'm not doing that, I'm just mundane. But as soon as I know I've got a fight coming up, boom, my eyes glow up. I feel a feeling inside of me bubbling [like] a pot that's on the simmer, boiling away. I just cannot wait to fight.

"It's really the competition that's the addictive thing, it's not the training. I used to think it was the training, but it's not because I was training every day [and] I wasn't happy.

"So it's definitely the boxing side of it. I believe when God's ready for me to move on and get out of boxing, I'll be shown a way out. And whatever I do next will be double as big as what I'm doing now.

"I'm just motivated by staying alive and keeping happy and healthy. This is what makes me happy and healthy - boxing - so that's why we're here."

Tyson Fury has been urged to show he is "brave enough" to take on Oleksandr Usyk in a fight that could end all arguments over who is the greatest heavyweight of their generation.

For now, Fury's focus is on putting his WBC belt on the line against Derek Chisora on Saturday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

However, Usyk is eager to tackle the Briton and that fight could happen in the new year, if all parties can come to an agreement.

According to the 35-year-old Ukrainian's agent, Usyk would jump at the opportunity. Usyk, himself, has expressed similar sentiment, and Fury's next step after the Chisora fight, should he win that one, will be keenly watched.

Fury has described the prospect of facing Usyk in 2023 as "unlikely", suggesting he could instead undertake a world tour of one fight per month, in what he has labelled a "bum-a-month campaign".

Yet Fury's words and his actions do not always match up, so the right proposal might still tempt him to fight Usyk, who holds the WBA, IBF and WBO titles.

Indeed, Fury's co-promoter Bob Arum this week suggested an agreement for a showdown against Usyk could be made "speedily". 

Usyk's promoter Alex Krassyuk told Sky Sports: "Usyk, he's the kind of person who went through some big challenges in his life. He's not afraid of anything. He's seeking challenges himself.

"He has become the undisputed at cruiserweight. Before that he became Olympic champion, that was the challenge for him. Before that he became world champion in the amateurs, European champion, so he was overcoming step by step.

"Now he is one step to becoming the undisputed in the heavyweight division. So he can't miss this chance. He's not ducking anyone. Once you know in detail his biography you would hardly believe he could duck anything in his life."

A fight between Fury and Usyk could be a defining contest in the career of both men.

Krassyuk added: "We all hope [Fury] is brave enough to take this challenge, to accept the challenge of fighting a small 'middleweight' rabbit from Ukraine who's going to take his green belt away."

Tyson Fury returns to the ring on Saturday to face-off against old rival Derek Chisora in a bout where the talk strangely orientates around who is not there rather than the Gypsy King's actual opponent.

Having seen off Dillian Whyte in April, Fury set his sights on a 'Battle of Britain' clash against Anthony Joshua or a unification bout with Oleksandr Usyk, though was unable to secure an agreement with either.

Negotiations with Joshua fell flat and Usyk made it clear that he would not fight until 2023, leaving Fury in limbo and in a situation that reflects the messy scene at the top of the heavyweight division beneath the Ukrainian and the Gypsy King.

For all the clamour for a fight between Fury and Joshua, the latter struggled in consecutive losses to Usyk, with a previous defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019 resulting in three losses in the past five bouts for AJ.

Deontay Wilder lost twice in succession to Fury, while Ruiz Jr has fallen since losing his rematch to Joshua, ultimately leaving Fury treading water and forced to wait for other up-and-coming heavyweights to boost their credentials.

Of those, Joe Joyce stands as the most likely to jump to the front of the queue to face Fury but the fight against Chisora presents a massive risk, not just to Fury himself but to the heavyweight division.

A loss, though unlikely, would leave the WBC heavyweight belt tied up for a rematch and fourth bout between Fury and Chisora, potentially pushing back a unification clash with Usyk or a fiercely anticipated meeting with Joshua even further.

Chisora is the big winner in these circumstances, as in reality a fighter with 12 career defeats, including three in a row before victory over Kubrat Pulev in July, would never usually be in contention for a belt of this magnitude.

While Chisora has shown his ability to take significant hits and damage, somehow going the distance in a loss to Joseph Parker in Manchester a year ago despite being knocked down on three occasions, few would give him much of a chance against Fury.

In the heavyweight division, however, it only takes one hit to end a contest and a knockout surely stands as Chisora's only route to victory – though his last came against Artur Szpilka in 2019.

In comparison, Fury has not had a fight go the distance since a unanimous decision triumph against Otto Wallin two years ago and will fancy his chances of another quick win.

Tyson Fury's co-promoter Bob Arum is confident an agreement for a fight with Oleksandr Usyk can be made "speedily" if the Gypsy King can see off Derek Chisora.

The WBC heavyweight championship will be on the line in Saturday's meeting at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the two Brits locking horns in a trilogy bout.

Few had this fight top of their wishlist, with fans instead keen for a unification bout against Usyk or a 'Battle of Britain' clash with Anthony Joshua.

However, a meeting with Usyk remains in the pipeline, Arum has said, though he has warned Chisora has the credentials to cause Fury problems.

"I don't see any reason why the Usyk fight with Tyson Fury can't be made speedily," he said.

"That fight will happen next unless Mr Chisora lands his punch. Don't discount Chisora. Chisora's a hell of a fighter. He has a tremendous punch.

"He gave Usyk life and death. You can't in this business count your chickens before they're hatched. Chisora will answer back. It's a great, great fight. It really has a lot of interest.

"Two big heavyweights getting in the ring trying to knock each other's head off. Nothing is more exciting."

Underdog Chisora is looking to make a statement with a knockout win against Fury and made it clear he will come out of the blocks flying with an aggressive approach in the opening rounds.

"On Saturday I'm going to go to war. There's no two ways about it. I want to take what's his and make it mine. Physically and mentally," he declared.

"I can guarantee you, you are going to love the whole show we are going to put up. It's not going to be stinker, it's going to be a great fight.

"We want to give you the best first round in the heavyweight game forever. We need the first round to be electric, so the place will be buzzing. "I'm prepared to do it. We shook on it."

Tyson Fury conceded a fight with Oleksandr Usyk or Anthony Joshua in 2023 appears unlikely after detailing his plans for next year's schedule.

WBC champion Fury will defend his title at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday against Derek Chisora, who has lost twice already against the 34-year-old.

Chisora comes in as somewhat of a replacement clash for Fury after the 'Gypsy King' repeatedly declared his desire to face Usyk or Joshua.

While the unbeaten Fury still seeks an undisputed heavyweight bout with Usyk or an all-British showdown with Joshua, he conceded both fights remain a pipe dream at present.

"Probably not, because they are all bums, we will see," Fury told Sky Sports when asked about the two potential clashes.

"I am not going to count my chickens at all, but we will find out next year what will happen.

"If you see me in Antarctica doing a fight, you know I am on my bum-a-month campaign."

Instead, Fury – perhaps somewhat in jest – claimed he intends to fight around the globe in 2023 as he prepares to discuss his plans with promoter Frank Warren.

"I think I would like to do 12 fights next year, do like a bum-a-month campaign all over the world," he added.

"I am going to sit down with Frank Warren after this fight and see what we can do, see if we can do a bum-a-month campaign and go to random places and fight someone.

"Go to India, go to China, go to Australia, go to Indonesia, go to Africa, just fight local people. You have a heavyweight guy there? Yeah, let's fight him.

"Have a chance to fight for the World Championship like Rocky did in Apollo."

Tyson Fury says it would be "an absolute dying travesty" if he does not fight Anthony Joshua before he hangs up his gloves for good.

The WBC heavyweight champion has been touted for a match-up with his fellow Briton for a number of years, only to see each attempt to set up a bout fall short.

A fight looked closer than ever earlier this year before another breakdown in negotiations, leaving Fury instead to set up another fight with Derek Chisora next month.

Though Fury has retired, or indicated he would quit, multiple times before, the 34-year-old now says he will not depart from the sport before he fights his rival.

"I don't think I can retire today," he told The High Performance podcast. "Because I need that Joshua fight. We have been trying to make that fight for years.

"It's the fight that people want to see. It's the fight that I want to see as a boxing fan. 

"I think it would be an absolute dying travesty if me and Joshua didn't fight in this era."

Elsewhere, Fury spoke about the fresh wave of talent in the heavyweight division, led by Oleksandr Usyk, that has emerged around him, and how he sometimes wonders whether he still has the fight in him.

"For the last four or five years, there has been this three-headed monster: me, [Deontay] Wilder, Joshua," he added.

"Joshua and Wilder have been slain, and I'm the last one standing.

"All of a sudden, you've got some new people coming up now - Joe Joyce, Daniel Dubois, and Usyk's gate-crashed the party.

"Now there's a load of new blood that wasn't there five years ago and it's like, 'Can you beat this person?'."

Fury will fight Chisora at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 3.

Oleksandr Usyk wants to fight Tyson Fury in his homeland of Ukraine, and has called on the "unpredictable" WBC heavyweight champion to agree to a bout before March 2023.

Usyk last fought in August, when he successfully defended the WBA Super, IBF, WBO, IBO and The Ring heavyweight belts by posting a second win over Anthony Joshua in Jeddah.

The 35-year-old immediately targeted a meeting with Fury after that triumph, but the Gypsy King's desire to fight in 2022 means he will face Derek Chisora for a third time in December.

Fury's co-promoter Bob Arum recently revealed talks with Uysk's camp were imminent, and the Ukrainian – who signed up with the Kyiv Territorial Defence following Russia's invasion of the country in February – would love to take the bout to his homeland.

"The organisers are trying to figure out where they can earn more money," Usyk said at an event in Lisbon. "For me, yes, I would really like to fight in Ukraine. 

"The country is really capable of hosting this kind of fight. I would be really happy to see it happen in the Olympic Arena in [Kyiv], Ukraine.

"But it is not me who chooses the venue, so I guess it will be Saudi Arabia."

Usyk then moved to set a timeframe for any fight with Fury, adding he was not considering any other opponents for early 2023.

"Right now, my team is seeking conversations with Tyson Fury, and he is really an unpredictable person, so we can't guarantee when," he added.

"For me, the idea would be to fight maybe in early February or the beginning of March, like March 4, because I am an orthodox Christian.

"During the great fasting before Easter I do not fight, so it should be all before or then after orthodox Easter [April 16].

"I want to fight with Fury because I need the fourth [major] belt, and I don't want to fight with anyone else until I have the fourth belt."

Fury has already defeated Chisora on two occasions – winning by unanimous decision in July 2011 before stopping him after 10 rounds in November 2014, and Usyk is unsure why he needs the trilogy fight.

"I don't know why he needs this fight," he added. "Maybe he thinks because it would be one year without a fight, now he needs it. I think it is some manoeuvre, because I don't know why he needs this."

Anthony Joshua acknowledged he needed to "rest mentally" after being "torn apart" by his loss to Oleksandr Usyk, though he vowed he will eventually face Tyson Fury.

A 'Battle of Britain' clash between Joshua and Fury seemed set for December 3 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, only to for the bout to break down after negotiations collapsed.

The meeting between the two British heavyweights would have followed Joshua's rematch loss to Usyk, who successfully defended his WBA, IBF and WBO belts in August's title match in Saudi Arabia.

While Joshua suggested he will meet in the ring with Fury at some point, the former admitted he needed time off after a draining defeat to the Ukrainian.

"You saw after my last fight, it tore me apart," Joshua said in an interview with DAZN.

"I had so much riding on it, for me, the British fans, the undisputed fight, it just really tore me apart. So from a mental capacity, my close ones are telling me, 'you should rest mentally'.

"Physically, I'm down to fight. I'm a warrior, I like this game, I like competing. But on a mental aspect, I think people have really seen it means a lot.

"I was supposed to be in the ring on December 3. When you're saying, 'when are we going to see you back in the ring?' that was the date but obviously it's not happening. 

"But I've got a good team and I've got to just leave certain things to them because all that other stuff, back and forth and social media, it's quite time-consuming. But you've got to play the game as well.

"And my dance partner, the last geezer I was supposed to fight (Fury), he's a good dance partner, he handles the social media side and I think we do good business behind the scenes to be fair.  

"It will happen, we’re in the same era. Just as two competitors, two fighters. He's definitely someone that's a fighting man."

Joshua is yet to confirm his next opponent after failing to agree a deal with Fury, who settled for another all-British fight with Derek Chisora at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 3.

Tyson Fury's co-promoter Bob Arum has revealed talks over a heavyweight unification fight with Oleksandr Usyk will begin next week.

Usyk claimed the WBA Super, IBF, WBO, IBO and The Ring heavyweight belts by beating Anthony Joshua in London last year, before retaining them in August's rematch in Saudi Arabia.

The Ukrainian's second win over Joshua led to speculation he would face WBC heavyweight champion Fury in a unification bout, but he quickly ruled making out a return to the ring in 2022.

Fury will face Derek Chisora for a third time in December, but all the signs point to him meeting Usyk next year.

Arum – who promotes Fury alongside Frank Warren – told Sky Sports he would meet with Usyk and his manager Egis Klimas to discuss the bout in the coming days.

"I'll be having dinner with them without any question, probably on the Thursday night [October 27]," Arum said.

"I'll have a very long discussion with them about what their plans are and when it could be in their best interests to get the fight on.

"I know from previous conversations with both of them that they want that fight against Tyson Fury."

Fury has won 32 of his 33 professional fights, with a draw against Deontay Wilder in 2018 the only blot on his record, but Arum feels Usyk would provide the Gypsy King with a serious test.

"If there's anybody around who really has a good, good chance with Tyson Fury, it's Oleksandr Usyk," Arum added.

Meanwhile, Arum also believes Fury's meeting with Chisora will serve as perfect preparation for facing Usyk, who was taken the distance by the 38-year-old in October 2020.

"Chisora wasn't selected by Frank Warren and myself for Tyson just out of the blue," Arum said. 

"Yes, Chisora lost twice early on to Tyson, but remember his fight with Usyk where he gave Usyk life and death. A lot thought that he might have eked out a victory.

"If you're getting ready to fight Usyk, fight a guy who went in with him and carried him into deep waters.

"Chisora is not just a walkover. Chisora has demonstrated tremendous punching power and if you lose concentration and he hits you in the right place on the chin, it's dangerous."