Former heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury (25-0, 18 KOs) looked very out of shape on Friday, when he was present at a weigh-in in Monaco for Matchroom's card on Saturday night.
Matchroom CEO Eddie Hearn is willing to help Fury get back in the sport, to set the stage for a showdown with IBF, IBO, WBA heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs) next summer.
Fury has been out of the ring since November 2015, when he shocked the world by winning a twelve round unanimous decision over Wladimir Klitshcko in Germany to capture the WBA, WBO, IBF, IBO world titles.
Hearn wants Fury to be back in order by the first quarter of next year, to get a fight going with Joshua by the summer - hopefully in Wembley, where Joshua drew 90,000 fans for his April stoppage of Klitschko to unify his three titles.
Fury, 29 years old, is still waiting for a final ruling from UK-Anti-Doping on a suspended drugs ban. They claim Fury tested positive for a banned substance in early 2015. Until that issue is cleared up, Fury is unable to reclaim his boxing license from the British Boxing Board of Control.
"I've had two years out of the ring. Fat as a pig, hairy as an animal, but still as hungry as a lion," Fury exclusively told Sky Sports. "You have two years out of the ring and it gives you that va-va-voom to get back in there and bust a few heads.
"Do I need that many warm-ups? I don't think so. Am I a 40-year-old? No, I'm 29. Still got a long time in boxing. I'm just so happy and excited to potentially be a part of one of the biggest fights in British boxing history.
"People say, why do you think it's that? I'm saying it because two unbeaten heavyweights, one unified champion, one lineal champion, both over six foot six tall, both over 18 stone. One nice guy, one bad man - it is what it is. I think the public are going to relish the thoughts of making this fight happen."
Realistically, Fury believes he will be physically ready for Joshua by next summer.
"I think next summer is ideal and realistic. I'm not going to do it in February or March, because obviously I'm not in shape. But I'll be back in shape by the time March, April comes around. Back ripped, looking sexy as ever. A couple of sun beds, a haircut and a shave, I'll be back to my old self," Fury said.
Joshua was in action last Saturday, when he he stopped Carlos Takam in the tenth round in Cardiff, and his next fight would likely come in the first quarter of the year, on a date in March or April.