Tyson Fury will consider coming out of retirement for 'half a billion'

Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury on Wednesday qualified his earlier statement that hinted at a potential return, stating on social media that he would come out of retirement only for "half a billion".

Fury, 33, had declared in April that he was calling time on his undefeated professional career after defending his WBC world title at Wembley Stadium, knocking out Dillian Whyte in the sixth round.

Thereafter, a crossover exhibition clash with UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou was proposed. However, a unification fight against Oleksandr Usyk or Anthony Joshua remained the favourite talking point. Usyk is expected to defend the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts he claimed from Joshua last September in the rematch this summer.

In an interview with Queensberry Promotions on Tuesday, Fury said: "We've got some very exciting news coming. I think the world's been waiting for our plan of action.”

Asked if he would return to boxing, Fury replied: "One hundred per cent, like [movie character] Jerry Maguire said, 'Show me the money!'

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"If anybody can show me the money ... I put a moniker on [promoter] Frank Warren years ago, I called him the 'Magic Man'. Because if he can bring somebody back from absolutely dead, like he did with me, he must have magic."

Later on Wednesday, Fury took to Twitter to explain that he remains retired and that he would consider coming back only for a gargantuan sum.

"Quick message to let everybody know that I, the Gypsy King, am happily retired. But to get me out of retirement, considering I don't need the money, I don't need the aggravation ... it's gonna cost these people half a billy, 500 million," Fury said in the video.

In the earlier interview, Fury said he