“Turki, I’m here, brother. I’m grinding. That Big Mac is coming back. I will take over the crown again. None of them can stop me,” said Fury in a workout video posted by Ring Magazine.
The first step is a low-risk assignment. Wach, 46, is a clear tune-up opponent designed to help Fury shake off the rust following his retirement and prepare for a massive clash against Anthony Joshua later this year.
Winning those two fights, however, does not automatically make Fury a world champion again.
Agit Kabayel now holds the WBC heavyweight title after being elevated from interim champion, while the other belts remain tied up with their respective champions and mandatory obligations. On paper, Fury would still need to earn another title shot.
The business side of boxing could change that equation.
A Fury-Joshua event is expected to be one of the biggest money fights in recent heavyweight history. Given the global interest and revenue potential, it is difficult to imagine Saudi Arabia staging the contest as a one-off if the first meeting is competitive. A rematch would likely generate another enormous payday for both fighters while delaying any immediate pursuit of a world title.
If Fury defeats Joshua twice or even wins the first before a competitive rematch, the sanctioning bodies could face increasing pressure to place him back in a championship fight. Boxing has a long history of marquee names receiving opportunities based not only on rankings, but also on commercial value.
The vacant IBF title also creates another variable. Depending on how that championship picture develops over the coming months, Fury could find himself in position for a title opportunity without having to work through the deepest part of the heavyweight queue.
Fury’s focus is on Wach, followed by Joshua. But his path back to heavyweight gold may ultimately depend as much on the business of boxing as what happens inside the ring. If the Saudis get two blockbuster Fury-Joshua fights, the financial rewards could outweigh any urgency to challenge for a title immediately, with one final championship run waiting on the other side.
Tom Galm is a boxing journalist who has covered the global fight landscape since 2014, specializing in heavyweight analysis, industry trends, and fighter psychology.