“A Rabbit to Hunt”: How One Phrase Sparked a New Intrigue
Only two weeks remain until the megafight between Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois at London’s Wembley Stadium for the undisputed heavyweight crown. The news cycle seemed to belong solely to them—until Tyson Fury burst onto the scene as if stepping out from under a heavy sandbag. “We have a rabbit to hunt,” quipped Turki Al al-Sheikh, reminding everyone how Fury once teased Usyk. The phrase pulled the trigger: on social media the Gypsy King posted a banner reading “Trilogy” and listed a date—18 April 2026, Wembley Stadium.
Comeback Number Four: From “Why Do I Need This?” to a Concrete Poster
Back in January 2025 Fury announced his retirement for the third time. The market met the news with skepticism—who would believe a final farewell from a titan who had already returned twice? In May he said the opposite: “I have nothing left to prove, I’ve counted my belts on my fingers—there are 22 of them. So why let someone smash my face again?” A little more than a month has passed since then, and his feed has filled with clips of sunrise runs, shadow-boxing in a pool, and photos from the gym.
The crescendo came during a trip to Istanbul for a July tournament. At the press conference Tyson called the judging of the rematch with Usyk “a pile of dog ****” and added, “If there’s a reason to come back, it’s Oleksandr. I want a fair fight in England. Fifty of our rounds and I still don’t see how he can beat me.” That same evening Turki Al al-Sheikh, Saudi Arabia’s sports adviser and chief architect of blockbuster shows, assured: “Fury will be in the ring in 2026. Believe me, the rabbit is already in the sights.”
Silent Response: Why Promoters Didn’t Rush to Confirm
What is alarming is the lack of response. Neither Frank Warren nor Al al-Sheikh has uttered another word. Usyk, too, remains calm: he has a Dubois rematch on 12 July, and thinking about 2026 is clearly premature. The only fact: the website linked in Fury’s post sells tickets only for the pre-fight party before Usyk–Dubois. There are no official packages for an alleged Fury–Usyk III.
Déjà Vu 2022: How Ultimatums Burned the Deal
History has seen a similar plot before. In August 2022 Usyk and Joshua completed their two-fight series in Jeddah. Just days later Fury sprang back to life, kept his WBC belt and started pressuring opponents: “Fight at the end of November or December—or forget it.” The Ukrainian, exhausted after 24 rounds with Joshua, politely declined, needing recovery. Joshua ignored the ultimatum and fanned the flames with memes on social media. The result is well known: Fury–Chisora III at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a formal settling of scores with the veteran and a sharp drop in public interest.
What Happens After Usyk–Dubois II: The Division’s Layout
The disposition now is different. If on 12 July the Ukrainian beats the Briton again, he will have one item left on his personal to-do list—a “final mega fight”: lucrative, high-profile and preferably on a European stage. Fury fits every parameter perfectly. Yet Oleksandr has repeatedly stressed, “I will end my career when I feel I have done enough.” Are two years a long enough hiatus not to cool off while still recovering?
Assume Usyk confirms his undisputed status in July and no other marquee opponents emerge by year-end: Joshua is tied up in a fat DAZN contract, Hrgović and Anderson have yet to build the necessary hype. Negotiations with the Gypsy King would then return to the forefront. All the more so because the WBC is in no hurry to order a mandatory between Andy Ruiz and Zhilei Zhang, which means the belt can “wait” for its owner longer than usual.
Fury as Brand and Intrigue: The Show Goes On
Tyson is used to thinking in showbiz categories. He is willing to put millions of pounds into upfront expenses, reserve a venue in advance and even print tickets—just to make an opponent nervous. In 2026 Wembley will increase its capacity after renovation, and 18 April is a holiday Saturday in the UK. The commercial calculus is obvious, but that doesn’t mean the fight is already signed.
One should also remember Fury’s knack for keeping his profile hot between ring walks: books, TV shows, sponsorship deals. Any announcement is a free information blast to hundreds of media outlets. When the heavyweight division is stuck in yet another holding pattern over lineal rights, he can regain “king” status even without gloves on his hands.
Verdict: Real Challenge or Just More Smoke and Mirrors?
Fury has proven he can make money not only with his fists—he creates events the whole world talks about. But Usyk, a man who loves chess analogies, is unlikely to let himself be drawn into an adventure without guarantees. Too many variables: WBA obligations, platform-contract timelines, and the simple physics question of how much fighting resource each will have left by spring 2026.
Now we wait for 12 July. If Usyk handles Dubois convincingly and Fury stays on the radar, the likelihood of a trilogy will shoot up. Should the Ukrainian stumble, Tyson will instantly switch to any available target and the audience may witness another episode of the endless show called “The Gypsy King Returns.” One thing is clear: the heavyweight air smells of a big brawl again, and that means fans won’t be bored.
