Tyson Fury announced his retirement last month following back-to-back losses against Oleksandr Usyk.
The pair first met in the ring in May 2024 in the first undisputed heavyweight title contest in over two decades. Though Fury had success, particularly in the middle rounds, it was Ukraine’s Usyk who took the fight on the scorecards, buoyed by a particularly punishing ninth round in which he had the Brit stumbling all around the ring.
‘The Gypsy King’ activated his rematch clause and Usyk, who dropped the IBF belt to become just unified champion, obliged. They clashed again in December in a slightly more technical affair. Neither man was significantly hurt and Usyk, in the eyes of all three scoring judges, was victorious once more.
Fury has been openly critical about the results of both matches, branding the second a ‘robbery.’ It was something he alluded to again in his retirement announcement, which came on the 14th of January amidst talk he could be gearing up to face Anthony Joshua.
“I’d like to announce my retirement from boxing. It’s been a blast. I have loved every single minute of it and I’m going to end with this – Dick Turpin wore a mask!”
Many in the sport are sceptical given the 36-year-old Morecambe man has retired a number of times in the past only to return. Pre-fight, he had also announced that he would fight ‘until he was 50.’
Usyk – who has confirmed he will remain active and is targeting the winner of Dubois vs Joseph Parker later this month – spoke to TalkSPORTspoke to TalkSPORT and said he feels it is ‘not true.’
“I don’t think about it but I think it is not true. Once Tyson has relaxed, and rested, maybe Tyson will be back.
“Boxing if you do this for a long time: 10, 15, 20, 25 years then boxing is like a drug.”
Only time will tell as to whether or not Fury can be enticed back through the ropes for the ‘AJ’ showdown, which is still the biggest fight to be made in British boxing.
