WATCH: Israel Adesanya pushes Tyson Fury for MMA move during backstage shenanigans in Melbourne

UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya recently met boxing great Tyson Fury and advised the latter to try his hand at MMA. Over the past few years, Fury has engaged in verbal feuds with notable MMA fighters such as former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and current UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

While certain sections of the combat sports world have been calling for him to cross over to the sport of MMA, Fury has clarified that he plans to stick to boxing. That said, 'The Gyspy King' has previously partaken in MMA training sessions alongside fighters such as Nick Diaz and Darren Till.

New Zealand's Adesanya and the UK's Fury attended a boxing event at the Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne, Australia, on May 24th, 2023. As seen in a video posted to Adesanya's FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, he and Fury greeted one another ringside while the fights were underway. They also met backstage and had a conversation.

'Izzy' notably suggested that Fury should compete in MMA, akin to a few other top-tier boxers, such as Claressa Shields, who compete in both sports.

Recalling Fury's MMA training session with former UFC middleweight Darren Till, Adesanya stated:

"I saw you training with Darren [Till], though... Claressa Shields already did it. You've got to do it [MMA]."

Responding to Israel Adesanya's suggestion, Fury said that he isn't looking to compete in an MMA cage. The WBC heavyweight champion lightheartedly said:

"I ain't going in no cage. F**k you."

Adesanya laughed and acknowledged the same but alluded to the fact that Fury boasts gypsy lineage, hailing from an Irish Traveler family. Gypsy fighters are well-known for their street-fighting prowess. On that note, 'Izzy' insinuated that he'd be comfortable in the MMA realm as well. The 33-year-old UFC mainstay noted:

"I'm just saying. You're a gypsy. You can do it."

Regardless, Fury indicated that he's a boxer and will only fight under Queensberry rules. The 34-year-old pugilist said:

"No. Listen, I'm a straight-up boxer. Queensberry rules, brother."

Watch Adesanya and Fury greet and speak to each other at 3:56 and 4:28 in the video below:

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What's next for Israel Adesanya and Tyson Fury?

Israel Adesanya's most recent fight witnessed him reclaim the UFC middleweight championship by defeating archnemesis Alex Pereira via second-round KO in April 2023.

Adesanya's next opponent and exact comeback date haven't been officially announced yet. But it's believed that 'Izzy' could defend his title at UFC 293 on September 10th, 2023, against the winner of the upcoming Robert Whittaker vs. Dricus du Plessis matchup.

On the other hand, WBC heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury is coming off a 10th-round TKO victory over Derek Chisora in December 2022.

'The Gypsy King' has subsequently been involved in on-and-off negotiations with unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk for a potential clash to determine boxing's undisputed heavyweight champion. However, the dream matchup hasn't materialized yet, and it's unclear as to who Fury will box next.