WBA heavyweight champion Mahmoud Charr has informed World Boxing News of his desire to reignite a fight with Tyson Fury.
Charr wants to re-open talks that ended in September 2022 after reclaiming the WBA title through a legal case against the World Boxing Association.
The pair came close to finalizing a deal before Fury eventually chose to fight his close friend Derek Chisora. The December event was a one-sided obliteration that looked to have ended Chisora’s career until a comeback win against Gerald Washington in 2023.
Fury has since been unable to secure a bonafide boxing opponent, having faced UFC star Francis Ngannou in a gloried exhibition last October.
Charr hopes to land “The Gypsy King” after confirming his first defense against Kubrat Pulev for March 30 in Sofia. It’s been an astonishing six years since Charr first won the crown against Alexander Ustinov.
Due to legal challenges, opponents pulling out of fights, and Don King campaigning for Charr to be stripped, the Lebanese-born German will finally put the belt on the line.
“I learned through my religion: Allah tests me with passion,” Charr told World Boxing News exclusively. “I always work and never gave up on the option to defend my belt one day. It’s called Sahber.
“Tyson Fury is my brother; I always wish him the best. He is a great husband and father. He loves boxing and does everything for his family and the boxing sport.
“I will fight Tyson Fury for sure after the win against Pulev. I want the Gypsy King vs the Arab-German King.”
Asked how he sees Fury’s undisputed fight against Oleksandr Usyk going down on May 18, Charr replied: “I’m one thousand percent Team Fury. I believe Fury will smash him [Usyk] like he smashed Klitschko.”
With the WBA situation now behind him, Charr was pushed for a response to the debacle that received widespread astonishment. The eyebrow-raising occurred due to Daniel Dubois losing his title when defeated by Usyk last August. Only a month later, the WBA gave the belt back to Charr.
Charr pointed out: “I sued Don King, and everything needs time. It’s like I always teach the people: In the end, the good will win. The WBA is one of the best organizations. I won [the title] against Ustinov, and I will rightfully defend the title against Pulev. I inshallah I will become the mandatory challenger [for the winner of Fury vs Usyk]. Everything is possible. Points or knockout, I’ll do my job.”
On his feelings towards Don King, fighting to have him stripped of the title, Charr added: “He wanted me to sign with him, but my wish at this time was only Mr. ]Andriy] Ryabinsky from Russia. I worked with him in the past, and he was the best promoter and person in my entire life for boxing.”
Finally, WBN asked Charr for his opinion on Deontay Wilder’s loss and whether the pair could meet in the future.
“Frankly, I have no particular opinion about it,” he concluded.
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer and has been the Editor of World Boxing News since 2010.
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