TYSON FURY will give up a mega payday for a fight against Anthony Joshua by retiring from boxing.
The Gypsy King, 36, announced his retirement from boxing earlier today following back-to-back defeats against Oleksandr Usyk, with the second coming last month.
PATyson Fury has announced his retirement from boxing[/caption]
PAIt comes following back to back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk[/caption]
GettyBut Fury’s retirement would see him miss out on a huge payday for fighting Anthony Joshua[/caption]
Fury announced the news in a bombshell Instagram post, saying: “Hey everybody, I am going to make it short and sweet. I would like to announce my retirement from boxing.
“It has been a blast and I have loved every single minute of it. I’m going to end with this – Dick Turpin wore a mask. God bless everybody and see you on the other side.”
Fury had been backed for a blockbuster Battle of Britain clash with Joshua in the summer.
However, his retirement would see him forgo the huge payday which would accompany it, which would possibly be his biggest payday ever.
His first undisputed title fight with Usyk landed Fury a cool £85million payday, while the rematch saw him earn £90m.
Yet SunSport understands a two fight deal with AJ would be worth around £500m, meaning Fury is effectively giving up a staggering £250m paycheck by retiring.
Following Joshua’s defeat to Daniel Dubois earlier this year, Fury blasted that AJ “cost him £150m”.
Yet following Eddie Hearn‘s revelation that he had booked out Wembley for the long-awaited Fury v AJ showdown, it seems the fight purse has risen even higher.
Speaking on the potential fight, Hearn told Sky Sports: “Yes. We’re looking to get back in the ring in May or June. If it ended up being July, it doesn’t really matter.
“I still think it rests on Tyson Fury. Until the water settles on the defeat and where he’s at mentally and what he wants to do, that’s where we’re really going to find out.
“Because when he looks at the options, what else is he going to do and who else is he going to fight?”
The news of retirement also caught his promoter, Frank Warren, by surprise.
Giving his immediate reaction to SunSport, he said: “This is the first I’ve heard of it. I haven’t spoken to him today but God bless him.
“He’s earned more money than he could spend if he lived to be 1,000-years-old.
“He’s won every belt he ever wanted to win and he couldn’t have done any more for the sport, for himself or for British boxing.
We wish him the absolute best.
“When I did speak to him I told him to take your time, relax, recover, don’t rush into any decisions and if this is the one he’s made he has our support and gratitude.”
Despite the declaration, Fury has come back out of retirement before.
His first came 12 years ago when he grew frustrated when a fight with David Haye fell through.
Following the announcement, he took a three-year break from the sport between 2015 and 2018, during which many didn’t expect to see him again.
Then, following his win over Dillian Whyte in 2022, Fury retired again before deciding to make a comeback against Derek Chisora just six months later.
This means there is not a 100 per cent guarantee Fury won’t return to the ring again, especially with huge bout against Joshua and a huge payday waiting in the wings.
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