When Tyson Fury unexpectedly retired in January soon after a second decision defeat to Oleksandr Usyk, the announcement was met with skepticism.

Big-money matchups against British rival Anthony Joshua and others were still on the table, but the former heavyweight champion Fury insisted he was done. Fury was front and center with the media Wednesday, and to the surprise of no one, he admitted that the fire remains for him to fight again.

“If I was going to come back, I’d come back for Usyk, but I want a fair result in England,” said Fury, who recently teased his return. “That would be the one I want. That would be the fight I’d want next.”

Turki Alalshikh, head of Riyadh Season and chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, caught wind of Fury’s comments and shared a definitive update on social media Wednesday.

“The Gypsy King will be back,” Alalshikh said. “I talked with him, and I have his word to have him in a Riyadh Season [event] in 2026. We have a rabbit to hunt.”

Fury frequently called Usyk — his savvy, fleet-footed rival a rabbit, among other names — throughout the build-up toward their fights in May and December last year.

It remains to be seen what Usyk’s future looks like and how the carrot will get dangled for a third fight with Fury. Usyk, The Ring, WBA, WBC, WBO champion and The Ring’s No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, is scheduled to face IBF titleholder Daniel Dubois in a 12-round rematch July 19 at Wembley Stadium in London.

Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs), who turns 37 in August, also shared his sentiment on the love-hate relationship he has with the sweet science.

“It’s a great sport and everything I’ve got I owe to the game of boxing, and I’m very appreciative,” Fury said. “Like all great relationships, it’s got to have ups and downs, but the inevitable in my game is you make your bed, you lie in it and, yeah, I’m still very much in love with the game. I train regularly. I do all of the above.

“Got paid, got laid, got out of there. Happy days. Went home to my family, and now I’m happy. I’m at home in Morecambe. I train twice a day, I go out, I can have a beer when I want. I go eat what I want. I stay out late. I can do what the [expletive] I want. You know why? Because I’ve earned the right."