IBA President Umar Kremlev welcomed heavyweight icon Tyson Fury to Istanbul, Türkiye, for last week's boxing event this week. Fury — who has yet to return to the ring following his split-decision loss to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024 — was joined by manager Spencer Brown, with the pair heaping praise on the IBA event. ‘It’s a big event. When you see all of these fighters and special people, it attracts a lot of eyes to boxing — and boxing brings people together,’ said Fury.

 

‘With everything going on between Russia and Ukraine, these things can bring people together very quickly, through boxing,’ added Brown.

 

‘Boxing is for peace. We are for peace,’ Kremlev replied. 'The press conference featured over 180 representatives of international media — and it is all done to popularize boxing. We want IBA to be the Home of Boxing.’

 

With the boxing community eagerly anticipating Fury’s next move, Kremlev took the opportunity to make an audacious bid to have the former lineal kingpin see out his career on an IBA show; with a bout for the IBA heavyweight title also a possibility. ‘We would love to make a professional fight for you [Fury] — a farewell bout, as the king of boxing. One final, beautiful fight to say farewell.'

 

Kremlev also extended an invitation for Fury and his family to visit Moscow as his guests in the future. ‘We would love to bring Tyson to Moscow,’ said Kremlev excitedly. ‘Just give me the date, and you can bring your team and family with you. We will send a jet to pick you up and bring you. We do not have bears walking around [in Moscow] — despite people’s misconceptions — so please bring your family and your team.’

 

‘We’d love to go to Moscow. Tyson has always wanted to go,’ said Brown.

 

‘I was supposed to go, four years ago,’ added Fury. ‘I was supposed to go to the Red Square with a fur coat in the winter with the snow, before going to party in New Zealand. ‘I’m filming a reality show with Netflix, [so] it would be very good to see Russia on the TV worldwide — 500 million, a billion people — very good for relations… so you give us a proposal, you speak to Spencer!’

 

‘The story is not ended yet,’ Brown followed. 'So, you [Umar Kremlev] are coming in at the end of the story, but it hasn’t ended, and we’d love to have you on board.’

 

‘So, I have joined you on time!’ Kremlev responded, bringing laughter from those in attendance. ‘I have big respect for those who invest their soul and their talent into their sport — and I believe that in the modern world, in the current times, out of all heavyweight categories, Tyson is most talented.’