TYSON FURY has announced his retirement from boxing – but fans could be forgiven for refusing to believe it.
Fury announced on social media that he was walking away from the sport following back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk.
ReutersTyson Fury has announced his retirement following two losses to Oleksandr Usyk[/caption]
He said: “I would like to announce my retirement from boxing. It has been a blast and I have loved every single minute of it.”
But with a history of coming out of retirement and a mega-money fight with Anthony Joshua on the table – fans are ready to call Fury’s bluff.
And they would have reason to do so, as SunSport takes a look into the Gypsy King’s history of calling it quits.
November 2013
Fury first packed up his gloves and went home after his pay-per-view bout with David Haye got scrapped due to sustained a cut.
He posted online: “Hi every1, I have officially retired from boxing. There’s too many bent people in the sport.”
Fury then returned three months later to beat Joey Abell but his rescheduled 2014 fight with Haye again collapsed.
This time it was due to Haye suffering a shoulder injury which required surgery. The British grudge match never materialised.
Getty Images – GettyFury retired when David Haye pulled out of their fight in 2013[/caption]
July 2017
Fury was two years removed from his famous upset victory over Wladimir Klitschko – where he won the WBA, WBO and IBF belts.
But he was forced to vacate them after falling into depression and substance abuse.
He had retired earlier in 2017, before claiming it was a joke, but later posted online: “Been very blessed in my life & career achieve the upmost in boxing, was a epic journey along the way.
“Thanks to all the fans that supported & believed in me along the way. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. THE END.”
Fury would then return in June 2018 – after three years out the ring – before drawing with Deontay Wilder for the WBC belt that same year.
Fury appeared to announce his retirement online 2017
April AND August 2022
By this time Fury was WBC world champion after avenging his controversial draw with Wilder by stopping the American twice.
And he claimed he would retire following his fight with Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium – which he did after winning in round six.
After a promise to wife Paris, Fury said: “I have to be a man of my word so this might be the last fight. Thank you United Kingdom.”
Later in the year, he had a rethink and stated his plan to “100 per cent” return to the ring.
But then just four days later, on his 34th birthday, he posted on X that he was quitting AGAIN.
He posted: “Massive thanks to everyone who had an input in my career over the years & after long hard conversations I’ve finally decided to walk away & on my 34th birthday I say Bon voyage.”
Despite that, Fury was back by December and beat old pal Derek Chisora for a third time – marking one of boxing’s most underwhelming trilogies.
ReutersFury promised wife Paris he would retire after fighting Dillian Whyte[/caption]
View of The Sun’s boxing expert: ‘I think it’s a ploy’
CALL ME a miserable fat little boxing cynic, but Tyson Fury’s latest retirement just doesn’t wash with me.
It wasn’t too long ago we were hearing he had a ten-fight deal with Saudi Arabia, that he was gonna fight Anthony Joshua twice, then he was going to face Joseph Parker twice.
He was planning on doing every fight in the world – there was even talk he’d rematch Francis Ngannou and do a better job.
IF he has retired, then he goes out with an incredible career having made over £300million in boxing events alone, let alone all the extra stuff.
He does so having sacrificed bundles of his own life for such success.
We know his wife Paris suffered a miscarriage going into the first Olesandr Usyk fight.
We know for Deontay Wilder III, his little girl was put in intensive care, he barely even trained for that fight, he was sleeping on the hospital floor.
IF he has retired, IF it is genuine, then it’s been an incredible career.
And for the big showman, it’s probably a nice little short sharp way to go out by just posting a video while sat inside his car.
But I can’t help but think that it’s a bit of a ploy to drive AJ a little bit crazy.
AJ was at the Ring Awards the other day and put out a social media post saying “Fury, where are you? I’m looking for you.”
It’s the only fight that AJ wants, and Fury being wise and looking at the Floyd Mayweather playbook, knows that once you retire, you have to be coaxed out of retirement.
And how do you coax someone out of retirement? Loads more readies.
The fact of the matter is, Fury has always told us: I’m a prize fighter, I do it for money, I’m gonna do it for as long as I can and make as much money as I can.
So the idea that he suddenly ducks out now doesn’t seem to ring quite true.
As Fury made the announcement, I was with Frank Warren and he said hadn’t spoken to Tyson about it today, but that he hopes that it’s true, that Fury’s done enough and made enough money.
IF it’s true, then what an incredible career.
Fury and AJ have put British boxing on the map where it’s not been for decades, not since Lennox Lewis 25 years ago.
So thank you, but rather than being at his leaving party, which I’m sure The Sun would be invited to, I suspect we’ll see him boxing AJ in Riyadh in a few months.
January 2025
Fury was beaten by Oleksandr Usyk twice in 2024, by split-decision in May and then a unanimous verdict in December.
A super-fight with AJ was still on the table with Eddie Hearn even reserving Wembley for the bout.
But those plans went up in smoke when Fury made the shock announcement that he is walking away from the sport.
Still, fans were not so convinced with most sceptics believing it is a negotiation tactic ahead of talks to fight Joshua.
ReutersFury says he is walking away despite a fight with Anthony Joshua remaining possible[/caption]
