Let’s be honest. Deep down, everyone knew it was only a matter of time. And now, it’s happening. Tyson Fury has hinted at ending his retirement with a major announcement. A 2026 trilogy with bête noire Oleksandr Usyk. It was back in January this year, just weeks after his second consecutive loss to Usyk, that Fury decided to hang up the gloves. Again. While nothing has been made official yet, Fury’s statement has already sent shockwaves through the boxing world. But if he truly intends to follow through, he’ll have to clear a major obstacle: Daniel Dubois.

In a bid to become the undisputed heavyweight champion, the young Londoner is set to challenge Usyk for his three championship belts. Should he succeed, Fury may have no choice but to set his sights on Dubois instead of Usyk. During a recent appearance at the IBA event, Fury didn’t hold back when asked about Dubois, the heavyweight who has dramatically turned his career around in the past two years. “I would box that motherf**ker’s ears off,” Fury declared when speaking about a potential clash. But Dubois remains unruffled. He seems prepared for what’s to come.

Ahead of the high-stakes showdown at Wembley on July 19, Dubois sat down with Marcus Hayes from Fight Hub TV. Unsurprisingly, Fury’s rumored comeback was front and center during their discussion. Hayes asked, “There’s been some breaking news in the last 48 hours in the fight game. Tyson Fury is kind of looking to crash your party a little bit. He announces that he’s going to be having a trilogy sometime next year with Oleksandr Usyk, kind of making plans over what you’ve got going on on the 19th. What’s your reaction to that?”

It appears Triple D saw this coming. “Yeah, he’s going to—he’s going to talk some sh*t. He’s going to come back,” he said. Still, he acknowledged the upside: Fury’s return would bring even more attention to the division. As Dubois put it, “If he’s going to come back, he’s going to have to face me and all the belts.”

Right now, his sights are firmly set on defeating Usyk. His goal? “Stamping my authority on this division in this era of boxing.” And Dubois has already disrupted plans involving Fury before. Last year, he knocked out Anthony Joshua, effectively halting the hype around a long-anticipated all-British blockbuster between Joshua and Fury.

Should Dubois hand Usyk his first professional ‘L,’ Fury may have to go back to the drawing board before finalizing any trilogy.

Tyson Fury vs. Daniel Dubois: There’s a clear winner here

As for the former WBC champion himself, he seems confident in how a potential clash with Dubois would play out. At the IBA event, a reporter noted that Frank Warren, who promotes both Fury and Dubois, doesn’t seem too eager to make the fight happen. But when asked directly, “Is that a fight that you’d push for, though?” Fury didn’t hesitate.

“If I did come back, hypothetically speaking, if I were to return and I were to box Daniel Dubois, I would box that motherf**ker’s ears off. He wouldn’t land the glove on me. It’d be a one-sided beatdown,” replied Tyson Fury. Yet, he did admit that their styles don’t quite complement each other, which could affect the entertainment value of the fight.

Ultimately, everything hinges on how Dubois performs against Usyk. If he wins, and Fury officially confirms his return, the stars could align for a mega-showdown. A title shot could await him. The WBC has expressed openness to giving him that opportunity. With fans also hoping to see Fury finally settle things with Joshua, the landscape is filled with intriguing possibilities.

For now, all eyes are on Wembley and what comes next.

Do you think a Fury-Dubois matchup could be a big crowd-puller?