Long live the Gypsy King! - Tyson Fury plans reign into his FORTIES: 'Why walk away when I’m still young?'

WBC champion Tyson Fury says he plans on emulating former foe Wladimir Klitschko’s long dominance of the heavyweight scene by fighting well into his forties, claiming "why walk away when I’m still young?"

The 31-year-old became world champion for a second time in his career after dismantling Deontay Wilder in seven rounds in February to complete a fairytale turnaround following two years out of the ring with mental health issues.

And now the 'Gypsy King', who has won every one of the major belts in boxing, says he could emulate Klitscko’s dominant nine-year reign as heavyweight champion.

Klitschko, who retired aged 42, first became champion in 2006 and was undisputed world champion for more than four dominant years until Fury upset the boxing world and knocked him off his perch in 2015.

Tyson Fury ended one of the longest heavyweight reigns in history when he out-pointed favourite Wladimir Klitschko in Germany in 2015 - PATRIK STOLLARZ / AFP

“Klitschko did it until he was 40 and a lot of the great champions are continuing, and continuing,” Fury told Sky Sports News. “If I don’t box again, I’m happy, but if I do box again, then I continue to box.

“I ain’t boxing for money, I ain’t boxing for fame, I ain’t boxing for a belt — I’m boxing because it keeps me mentally happy and I like to do it. Why walk away when I’m still young?”

In what would be one of the biggest fights ever in boxing's glamour division, talks are reportedly underway over a bout between Fury and British rival Anthony Joshua, who holds the IBF, WBO and WBA belts, for the undisputed heavyweight championship.

And Joshua recently called out Fury in an explosive message, declaring: “If you really want to say you’re number one, come fight me.”

He added: “I’m the unified heavyweight champion of the world and he’s the WBC champion.

“What will it prove, me and him fighting? There will be one dominant figure in the heavyweight division that will have all of the belts and become undisputed.”