British heavyweight Tyson Fury moved a step closer to a long-anticipated clash with Anthony Joshua after defeating Poland’s Mariusz Wach in a comeback bout in Thailand.
The 37-year-old former world champion dominated proceedings at the Max Muay Thai Stadium in Pattaya before Wach, 46, retired on his stool at the start of the eighth round, handing Fury the 36th victory of his professional career.
The contest, staged before a crowd of fewer than 1,500 spectators, served as a tune-up fight for Fury, who is expected to face fellow Briton Anthony Joshua later this year if negotiations are successfully concluded.
Speaking after the victory, Fury said his focus would now shift to Joshua, who is scheduled to face Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga in a comeback bout in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
“I went through my test tonight. Let’s see if he can get through his,” Fury said.
Speculation had suggested Fury would travel directly to Jeddah to watch Joshua’s fight, with both fighters potentially announcing their long-awaited showdown in the ring if Joshua emerged victorious.
However, the former WBC heavyweight champion dismissed those reports, saying he planned to return home to his family instead.
“I’ve got to face off with my wife. I’ve got to iron when I get home. I’ve been away for six out of the last seven months,” he said.
“I’m not going to Jeddah. I’m going home to my wife and kids. I’m going to regroup and hopefully we’ll have a big fight signed next week.”
Uncertainty remains over the venue for a potential Fury-Joshua showdown. While Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has said the boxer’s contract favours a fight in the United Kingdom, reports suggest the blockbuster contest could instead be staged in the United States.
“We’ll head wherever we’re going to head,” Fury said.
“Who knows? It could be in Vegas, New York, Ireland, London. Who knows where the fight’s going to be?”
