Tyson Fury has been teasing a return to boxing, but what is tempting the former world heavyweight champion to resume his career and who could he fight?

Speculation about Fury’s comeback has intensified after his latest social media post – and news of his future plans could be imminent.

Why has Fury not fought this year?

The two-time world heavyweight champion is currently retired.

Fury announced that he was spending time away from the sport in the aftermath of his rematch defeat to Oleksandr Usyk, a unanimous points loss in Saudi Arabia in December.

“Hi everybody, I’m going to make this short and sweet,” said Fury, who hinted at lingering frustration following the Usyk fight.

“I’d like to announce my retirement from boxing, it has been a blast, I’ve loved every single minute of it and I’m going to end with this; Dick Turpin wore a mask.”

A summer showdown with Anthony Joshua at Wembley had been offered by promoter Eddie Hearn, but Fury would not be rushed into another fight and opted for a few months of family life.

Should we expect a dramatic comeback from Fury?

Well, we’ve been down his road before as Fury has announced he is quitting the sport on a number of occasions, only to make an expected U-turn.

A return to the ring is looking increasingly likely, with Fury posting news of a ‘business meeting’ this week after releasing previous clips of training footage and a reunion with trainer SugarHill Steward.

But the big question is when? Joshua requires keyhole surgery on his elbow, while Usyk, another potential opponent, is preparing for a rematch against Daniel Dubois in July.

Has Fury remained in fighting shape?

The quick answer is yes.

Fury has battled the scales in the past but appears to have stayed in decent shape, even acting as a personal trainer for his wife Paris during the weeks after his retirement announcement.

The 36-year-old has regularly kept his fans updated on his fitness regime with social media clips of him undergoing training sessions or sharpening his skills in the boxing gym.

If an announcement of his next fight were to come soon, then Fury looks like he is ready to start an intensive training camp.

British battle with AJ or trilogy clash with Usyk?

Fury remains a man in demand, despite his current absence from boxing.

A long-awaited fight against Joshua would be a blockbuster bout, even after the Olympic gold medallist suffered a knockout loss to Dubois in September.

“For the Brits, Tyson and AJ is the fight that hasn’t happened. Maybe it will, who knows? So that’s got a massive appeal about it,” Fury’s promoter Frank Warren told Sky News.

Usyk, however, is open to facing Fury one more time and Old Trafford has been mentioned as a potential venue for the third fight.

“But Tyson to get the fight [with Usyk], get revenge [after] what he feels, and I feel certainly in one of the fights, was a fight that he won, that’s again a great, big fight,” Warren added.

What could delay Fury’s comeback?

Promoter Eddie Hearn is confident that a deal can be swiftly agreed between the British stars, particularly as neither are holding a world title that could lead to mandatory commitments.

“Honestly, one phone call [to make it happen],” Hearn told Sky Sports. “Previously, one had a belt, one was the challenger.

“One was unified, me and Frank Warren never spoke, me and Tyson Fury didn’t get on. That ship’s sailed now.

“It really is one phone call, just to say, ‘here are the terms. You’re both not champions at the moment, but you’re both huge stars. Let’s just get on with it and make it happen.”

But Joshua still needs to recover from elbow surgery and it remains to be seen when the 35-year-old is cleared to return to training for a defining fight in his career against Fury.

Usyk starts as favourite in his rematch with Dubois, who was stopped in their first fight, although Britain’s IBF champion is in the form of his career after wins over Filip Hrgovic, Jarrell Miller and Joshua.

Only one concussive punch is needed from Dubois to derail plans for Usyk to have a farewell fight against Fury.

What can Fury still achieve?

In terms of achievement, Fury has held every major world heavyweight title in his two reigns as champion.

Fury famously dethroned Wladimir Klitschko to become the unified champion in 2015, earning the WBA, IBF and WBO belts.

The WBC belt, the only title he had failed to claim, was in his grasp following a rematch win over Deontay Wilder in 2020, until Usyk ripped it away with a split decision win last May.

But Joshua is the name that has been linked with Fury for over a decade and the duo can finally end any debate about the outcome by sharing the ring.

Title glory is satisfying for any champion, but with personal pride on the line, Fury’s legacy and personal finances will be massively boosted if he can defeat Joshua in a long-awaited British blockbuster.