Tyson Fury’s comeback won’t be dictated by Anthony Joshua’s timetable, says promoter Frank Warren.

Fury stepped away from boxing at the start of this year but has signalled he intends to return to the sport in 2026.

His promoter Warren wants to establish a date for Fury’s comeback. “He’s got to confirm it and sit down and work out when it’s going to be,” Warren told Sky Sports.

“If we do that then I’ll be delighted we can announce it. But he’s indicated to me and I know to a lot of people that he does want to carry on. So we’ll see.”

Fury could set himself on course for a collision with Joshua, though Fury could have a tune-up bout first.

“He may do that. There’s a lot of talk about Joshua, there’s a lot of talk about Joshua having a tune-up up so there’s no way he’s going to sit around waiting,” Warren said.

But Fury is primarily driven to return by the prospect of a third bout with undefeated heavyweight champion Usyk.

Warren said: “The fight he really wants is another go with Mr. Usyk, he really wants that. And they were great fights, really close fights, to watch. I’d watch that again.

“That’s the fight he wants. That’s the one he talks about all the time.”

Fury will come back to make an impact. “He hasn’t got a lot of miles on the clock. He’s nobody’s fool, he’s a very smart guy, he knows better than you and me what he’s got left,” Warren said.

“He’s a fighting man and if he decides that he’s going to move forward and do it, he’ll do it. He’s not a stupid guy who’s clutching at straws. He’ll only fight if he feels he can do it.”

Usyk’s decision, on whether he fights his next mandatory challenger or waits for a Fury trilogy contest, will dictate the direction of the heavyweight division.

For Usyk to retain the WBO belt, one of the four heavyweight world titles the Ukrainian holds, he would have to box the winner of Joseph Parker versus Fabio Wardley next.

“I don’t know what he’s going to do,” Warren said of Usyk. “Whatever he does it’s going to be his choice. He’s done everything that’s been asked of him and he should be treated with a lot of respect, as we all do respect him.

“It’s not about getting him stripped [of the title] and things like that, but the mandatories have to be made and obviously on October 25 we’ve got the first one.

“Joe Parker and Fabio Wardley both want to fight for the world title. And he’s the guy you’ve got to fight, he’s the one holding the belts.”