Wladimir Klitschko ready to put some Fury in his future

NEW YORK - After showing up for his post-fight news conference in Madison Square Garden a good hour and a half after the end of his heavyweight title fight, and long after his vanquished opponent Bryant Jennings had left the arena, Wladimir Klitschko appeared eager to put his unanimous decision victory against the Philadelphian to rest and move on.

"I was expecting to get a win and I was confident that I would be able to defend my title," Klitschko said. "Unfortunately it didn't happen as impressively as I usually do it."

Then he said a rematch will likely never happen.

MORE: Klitschko outpoints Jennings at MSG

So it's By-By Jennings. Hello Fury. As in Tyson Fury, the 6-9 undefeated British heavyweight whose penchant for trash-talking makes him an intriguing and formidable, if relatively inexperienced, challenger. Likely a mandatory. Fury has already been quoted as saying he can easily defeat Klitschko, who has won 18 title defenses in a row, six behind the great Joe Louis.

Unlike most of Klitschko's previous challengers, Fury (24-0, 18 KOs) has a three-inch advantage in both height and reach against the 39-year-old champion. And it could be the first time the 6-6 Klitschko has had to look up to an opponent.

"He's taller than me, he's definitely a guy that is ambitious, and I think it's going to be exciting," he said of a possible match with Fury. "I think he's going to engage into the fight. There was not much from Jennings today. But the thing is, the Tyson Fury fight is going to be really, really exciting. I'm really looking forward to it. We'll find out when the fight is going to happen, which month and where.

"I'm absolutely open to fighting anywhere, and it now depends on all the negotiations."

Klitschko, whose fights have been mostly held in Germany, has fought once in England, against Monte Barrett 15 years ago, winning a 7 ^th-round technical knockout.

"Obviously a fight against Tyson Fury is not going to be in the United States," Klitschko said. "He is British, and I think this fight needs to happen in Europe. It's a good European fight."

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After Fury, Klitschko could be returning to the United States in search of the one belt he does not own - the WBC heavyweight belt once held by his brother Vitali, who is retired and the current mayor of Kiev, Ukraine.

That belt is currently held by undefeated American heavyweight and fast-rising star Deontay Wilder.

"One belt is missing. It was in the Klitschko family but I've never held the WBC Championship," Klitschko said. "A unification fight against Wilder would be fantastic. My next fight will give Deontay a chance to defend his title once and probably such a fight will happen sometime next year."

Wilder, a knockout artist from Tuscaloosa, Ala., and the last U.S. Olympic male medalist (bronze in 2008 in Beijing), has a 33-0 record with 32 KOs. He is coming off his unanimous-decision victory to win the belt from Bermane Stiverne in January. It was the first time Wilder (33-0, 32 KOs) had gone the distance in his professional career.

Wilder was once a sparring partner for the lineal champion, so they know each other well. Advantage Klitschko or Wilder?

"I think for both fighters it's good to know each other," Klitschko said. "I got to know Wilder and he got to know me. And that's a good warmup."

For now, though, Klitschko will head home to Florida to be with his fiancee, actress Hayden Panettiere, and their daughter Kaya.

"I got used to fighting and relaxing after the fight," Klitschko said. "Obviously with my lifestyle, I'm going to take some time off, enjoy my family - I've been missing them during the camp - and get ready for the next match."

Asked how much longer the Ukrainian star (63-3, 53 KOs) nicknamed "Dr. Steelhammer," will continue to fight, Klitschko said, "It's fight by fight, as long as I'm healthy, and as long as I have great motivation, which I do have. I don't feel my age, and age is just a number.

"I just talked to Bernard Hopkins, and asked him, 'How do you do it? Do you sleep in the fridge?' He said it's just lifestyle. And not burning myself when I was younger. I'm enjoying performing, I enjoy getting ready, and I will continue that as long as I can."