John Fury reveals why he turned down fighting boxing legend for lucrative payday

John Fury has explained the real reason he turned down a £1 million payday to face former world champion Carl Froch.

Despite his son Tommy gearing up to face former World's Strongest Man Eddie Hall in Manchester on Saturday (June 13), John is also being linked with a potential return to the boxing ring, more than three decades on from his last professional contest.

These days, John is widely known as the outspoken and sometimes badly behaved father of two-time heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and internet personality and fellow professional boxer Tommy.

Before rising to fame, John was also a professional boxer, boasting a record of eight wins, four losses and one draw from his 13 bouts. He even challenged for the Central Area heavyweight title against Neil Malpass in 1989.

READ MORE: Eddie Hall confirms retirement decision as ideal next opponent named ahead of Tommy Fury fight

But could he return to the ring more than 31 years after his final bout?

Speaking to the media during the build-up to Tommy's fight against Hall, John seemingly named the price it would take for him to return to the ring against former super-middleweight world champion Carl "The Cobra" Froch.

John Fury has previously called out Carl Froch. Image credit: Getty

The pair almost came to blows at the launch press conference ahead of Tyson's comeback fight against Arslanbek Makhmudov, with John calling for a fight, a challenge that Froch was happy to accept.

An offer was then reportedly made by Misfits Boxing but, according to John, it was nowhere near the figure he was asking for.

"I asked them for £2.5 million sterling, they didn't come back to me," John told Pro Boxing Fans.

"They offered me a million quid.

"By the time I pay tax and everybody else, it's not enough.

"I don't need money. What I do know is my worth.

"You've seen tonight. For a man who is just a father, I bring a lot of attention and eyes on myself.

"You know why? Because I bring different stuff to the game.

"I'll do anything, I'll say anything, and no one knows what I am going to do.

"I don't know myself till I am there."

Carl Froch claims John Fury 'blocked' potential fight

Froch has previously claimed that John effectively blocked the fight from happening by making "unreasonable demands", even supposedly wanting Tommy to fight him first.

Speaking on his YouTube channel earlier this year, the Nottingham native said: "It's gone to the stage where the broadcasters are quite interested, and he's making demands now, unreasonable demands about trying to get Tommy Fury on to fight before him and me.

"He's basically put a blockade in there with his son, Tommy, which is ridiculous.

"It's big John Fury running his mouth, big gobshite, making a load of noise, making a nuisance of himself. Then he gets offered the opportunity.

"John Fury has no intentions of fighting anybody, including Joe Egan and myself.

"And he's had the option put in front of him. It's going to be X amount of pounds. And it's seven figures as well.

"And he just said, 'Oh no, I want to get Tommy on,' and made an excuse and talked bollocks, talked his way out of it."

Froch has been retired since 2014, when he defeated George Groves at Wembley Stadium.