Tyson Fury’s retirement statements in full as quitting stance clear after Oleksandr Usyk
Boxing superstar Tyson Fury has always been open with fight fans about his retirement intentions, with rumors again circling that the former world champion could hang up his gloves
Dethroned heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury has made his thoughts on retirement clear after successive losses to Oleksandr Usyk.
‘The Gypsy King’ lost his undefeated record to Usyk back in May 2024 when he suffered a split-decision defeat to Usyk. Boxing ace Fury, 36, hoped to avenge that result in their rematch last month but ended up succumbing in even more decisive fashion.
Given his advanced age and having missed out on his chance to become undisputed champ, it’s understandable talk has turned to potential retirement. But Fury has already dropped a heavy hint he has no intention of calling time on his career just yet.
“What’s next for me? I’m going home and having some time off,” he said after his second loss in Saudi Arabia. When asked if fans will see him fight again, he replied: “You might do, you might not. Who knows? We’ll talk about that next year.”
Those comments were fairly ambiguous on the fighter’s future following a tough year for Fury. However, The Sun has since reported the boxing icon has told close friends: “It’s not over.”
It wouldn’t be the first time Fury has walked away from the fight game. In fact, more than a decade has passed since The Gypsy King first announced his departure in November 2013 when his scheduled fight with David Haye collapsed for a second time.
“Hi everyone, I have officially retired from boxing,” he wrote on X (then Twitter). “There’s too many bent (crooked) people in the sport. They will have to f— someone else. Goodbye boxing.”
That pledge proved to be short-lived, considering he fought Joey Abell just three months later and continued his career at a steady pace. Almost 10 years passed before he once again said he was retiring in 2022, having defeated Dillian Whyte at Wembley in a sixth-round finish.
He said at the time that he had promised his wife Paris he’d hang up his gloves after beating Whyte, adding: “I’m a two-time undisputed world champion. [I have] £150m in the bank and nothing to prove to anybody.”
Once again, his claim was proved to be disingenuous as he returned to the ring against Derek Chisora eight months later. He’s fought three more times since then, though two have ended in defeat to ‘The Cat’.
It’s not out of character for Fury to change his mind on a whim, meaning a dramatic shift in circumstance is potentially never far. However, all signs suggest his boxing career will continue in 2025 despite recent setbacks.
