Tyson Fury will defend his World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) heavyweight titles in a re-match against Wladimir Klitschko in Manchester on July 9, the British boxer's trainer and uncle Peter Fury announced Friday.
Fury senior tweeted that the rematch would be confirmed later on Friday, saying: "(On) 9th July Tyson Fury vs Klitschko is coming to Manchester Uk.
"Official announcement coming 12 noon (UK time, 1100 GMT)."
Hamburg-based Klitschko lost his WBA, IBF, IBO and WBO belts to Fury on points in Duesseldorf last November as the Ukrainian suffered his first defeat in more than a decade.
Fury, from Manchester, northern England, was stripped of the IBF belt for agreeing to face Klitschko in a re-match.
Talks, however, proved protracted. Fury suffered a minor back injury last month and recently said that he thought the delay was due to Klitschko's hope he will gain weight in the time between bouts.
"I think they think I will put on 10 stone and self-detonate, but that's not going to happen," explained Fury.
"When I get the date, I'll go straight back in the gym and start working it off.
"I've got a back injury. An old injury flared up when I went over to help Hughie (my cousin) out for his fight (on March 26).
"I got taken to hospital and ever since then, every time I get punched in the back, it goes into a spasm, like a trapped nerve. It's a painful experience.
"But, listen, when they announce the date, I'll be ready, back injury or not."
Fury's decision to opt for a re-match with Klitschko paved the way for Charles Martin to win the vacant IBF title when Ukrainian Vyacheslav Glazkov injured a knee during their bout in January.
The American will defend his title against Britain's Anthony Joshua, an Olympic gold medallist in 2012, at London's O2 Arena on Saturday.
This week has seen Fury and Joshua exchange insults via Twitter in the build-up to that world title fight. afp