“I’ve always had respect for you, but I think the time has come for you to retire. Send the location,” Kabayel posted via Ring Magazine.

Fury responded with: “I got Wach, then AJ. Then you can get this smoke. Also, if you think you’re ready for the GK?”

The timing has created speculation that Kabayel’s message was aimed at remarks Fury made on Wednesday. Fury listed Kabayel among the heavyweight champions he believes were “gifted” world titles after Oleksandr Usyk vacated several belts. Kabayel did not mention those comments directly, though the sequence makes the exchange difficult to ignore.

Fury returns Friday in Thailand against veteran Mariusz Wach. The contest serves as the first bout of his latest comeback after announcing plans to chase another world title. He has also spoken repeatedly about meeting Anthony Joshua before pursuing another fight.

Kabayel has shown little interest in waiting quietly while Fury works through that schedule. The German champion has welcomed the possibility of facing Fury in the past, and Thursday’s response suggests he intends to keep that fight in the conversation.

If Fury defeats Wach and then gets the Joshua bout he continues to target, a clash with Kabayel would become one of the more obvious options available. Their latest exchange has already created a storyline, especially if Fury believes Kabayel still has something to prove after inheriting the WBC title following Usyk’s decision to vacate.