Butterbean calls out John Fury as he reveals fight offer was on table

Daily Mirror

22-07-2025

Butterbean has said that a bout with John Fury would be nothing but a warm-up for a war with his son Tyson, insisting that he has already seen an offer to fight the head of the Fury family in the past
Butterbean has said that he would love to "slap around" John Fury as a warm-up for a fight with Tyson Fury. Butterbean, real name Eric Esch, is eyeing a return to the ring for the first time in over a decade aged 58, with a number of high profile names on his radar for one last dance under the bright lights.
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After racking up an impressive record of 77-10-4 in the squared-circle, including 57 knockouts, Butterbean retired following his 2013 TKO loss to Kirk Lawton. Already weighing in at around 300-400lbs during the prime of his career, inactivity in retirement saw Butterbean tip the scales to over 500lbs at his heaviest.
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As a result, he was confined to a wheelchair for mobility, while a deep depression left him bed-bound for the best part of a year. However, after slimming down to 280lbs, Butterbean is feeling fighting fit once more and wants one more professional fight before calling time on his boxing career for good.
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While Butterbean has made it clear that a clash with YouTuber-turned-pugilist Jake Paul is his main priority, he has plenty of other names on his radar for a return to the ring. When asked about if he would entertain a fight with Tyson during an exclusive interview with Mirror Fighting via Lucky Energy, the Atlanta-born boxer said: "I'd love to fight him," before turning his attention to his father, John.
He added: "I'd fight the old man first, beat him up, slap around him pretty good. And then I'd want to beat the son up pretty bad. I would love to fight Tyson Fury."
Butterbean also shared that a fight with John was already on the table a little while ago, but ultimately failed to come to fruition. He explained: "You know, I was offered to fight his dad. And it's been a while. I'd love to fight him, either one of them.
"But yeah, Tyson Fury is the one I'd really want. His dad would be an easy fight. That'd be a couple rounder. I'd be like, go out there and just have fun and then get ready for the son.
"It'd be a warm-up fight. I mean, now that I believe in myself, I can do anything. And since I'm in such great shape, I know I can accomplish my goals."
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Butterbean credits former WWE star 'Diamond' Dallas Page for helping him turn his life around with a strict yoga routine, explaining that he feels fitter now than he did in his 20s. He added: "I'm not in a wheelchair no more.
"I went and moved to DDP for a while, did his yoga programme, and I'm in the best shape of my life right now. I feel better now at 50-something than I did when I was in my 20s, which is insane. I can't explain it, but the Fountain of Youth, I dove in it and I come out so much better."
No stranger to the trials and tribulations of boxing, John enjoyed a respectable combat sports career of his own, compiling a record of 8-4-1 between 1987 and 1995. However, his legacy pales when compared to that of Tyson's.
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Tyson called time on his own career earlier this year after suffering the first two losses of his professional career to Oleksandr Usyk in 2024. A two-time world heavyweight champion, Fury missed out on the chance of becoming undisputed at his weight class when he suffered a split-decision loss to Usyk last May, losing his WBC title in the process.
An instant rematch in December saw him suffer another decision loss to the undefeated Ukrainian, this time in unanimous fashion. While Fury opted to step away from boxing at the turn of the new year, Usyk went on to clinch the third undisputed collection of his career after clinching the IBF heavyweight strap with a fifth-round knockout of Daniel Dubois on Saturday.