AMERICAN heavyweight Michael Hunter has offered to step in and fight Tyson Fury FOR FREE.
The Gypsy King’s trilogy fight against Deontay Wilder appears to have been canned for this year.
But his promoters Frank Warren and Bob Arum are desperate to get the WBC heavyweight champ back out before 2020 is done.
Arum has compiled a five-man shortlist for Fury, and one of the names on the list is desperate for his chance to shock the world.
Hunter, who drew with Alexander Povetkin in his last fight, has only lost once in his 20-fight pro career.
That was against much-heralded Oleksandr Usyk at cruiserweight, but the Californian is adamant he can pose a threat to Fury.
But he thinks the 32-year-old Brit will spurn him and plump for an ‘easy fight’.
Speaking to Press Box PR, Hunter said: “I would fight for free, I’d fight Tyson Fury for absolutely nothing.
“There’s a lot of budget being saved right there, and they still wouldn’t fight me.
“I think I pose more of a threat than his original opponent Deontay Wilder. I’m the best one on their list, but I can guarantee they’ll pick the easiest or softest opponent.
“It’s not about fighters fighting the best people anymore.
“There has been no offer put out there yet. I am just as close as I was a year ago, I’m the same distance.
“I guarantee they’ll get a cheaper opponent in and it will be a lot easier, that’s just the world we live in.
“I don’t think there’s going to be a fight with Fury because there are easier fights. They would rather have easier fights, but you never know.”
Fury beat Hunter in the amateurs, but the American has always insisted he was robbed on the UK show and would love a shot at revenge.
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Last week Fury confirmed that he has ditched his planned trilogy fight against Wilder.
The Gypsy King claimed organisers failed to deliver a date for the event in 2020 and he is now free to deliver an all-British heavyweight unification showdown with Anthony Joshua next year.
Wilder’s team insist their man will ‘fight Fury any place and any time’, but Hunter thinks they’d be best served canning the fight full stop.
The 32-year-old added: “I think that they have made the right decision by not fighting.
“He was already 2-0 with Tyson Fury, I don’t think he was fit for it. Not necessarily physically, but mentally.
“For Deontay I don’t think he was mentally prepared this time around. That’s not to say he won’t be prepared in a year or something.
“This third fight would be the worst situation because he’s not totally ready yet, it’s not a good business move.”
Hunter believes Agit Kabayel or Efe Ajagba will be handpicked to fight Fury because ‘it’s easier to deal with when it comes to the business’.
SunSport has also compiled a list of five potential opponents for the Lineal champ – some would whet the appetite, others would raise a few eyebrows.
