Frank Warren reacts to Tyson Fury’s retirement, rejects idea this is a negotiation tactic
Frank Warren wishes Tyson Fury nothing but the best.
On Monday, Fury retired from professional boxing after a 16-year career that saw him become a multiple time unified heavyweight champion. The announcement was unexpected and comes on the heels of Fury’s spirited unanimous decision loss to Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch in December. And if this is the last time we see “The Gypsy King” in the ring, his promoter Frank Warren has nothing but praise for him.
“God bless him,” Warren told TNT Sports. “If that’s what he wants to do, that’s what he should do. I’ve said it all along, no one should be trying to influence him in the boxing world [with] what he should do. It’s up to him, at the end of the day, after consulting his family and making discussions. He’s made a lot of money, he’s had a fantastic career, he’s the best British heavyweight, one of the best — probably joint-best heavyweight in his division in the worst case this century. He’s had some magnificent fights, he’s shown what he’s been about. He’s been exciting to be around him. I’ve loved every minute and I hope all the fans have as well. Go and enjoy himself.
“And I hope he doesn’t leave boxing. I’d like [for him] to come and work in boxing. He’s been brilliant for British world boxing and I wish him a lovely retirement and to enjoy his life.”
This is not the first time Fury’s left boxing. Following his win over Wladimir Klitschko, Fury relinquished his titles and took an extended hiatus from the sport as he dealt with a variety of personal problems, including depression. He returned nearly three years later and reclaimed the WBC heavyweight title, but then retired from the sport in 2022. That retirement was short-lived, however, as he returned just a few months later.
Fury began working with Warren and his Queensberry Promotions in 2018 following his hiatus, and given where he was before then until now, Warren is proud of everything Fury accomplished in his comeback.
“I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect it today,” Warren said. “But listen, it’s what it is. If that’s how he feels, that’s how he feels. It’s up to him. It’s his life and he said it how it is. I know he was disappointed with the result of the last fight, but look, you can’t change it. No one can change the result. It is what it is. At the end of the day, good luck to him and enjoy it. Enjoy your life. Be happy with what you’ve achieved and what you’ve done with your life, because you’ve done magnificent. Think where you were before that second come back and look what you’ve managed to do. You should be bloody more pleased with that than any boxing, the fact what you did and how you turned your life around. God bless you.”
And for those people who believe this could be just a ploy from Fury to leverage more money out of future bouts, including a long-awaited matchup with fellow British heavyweight Anthony Joshua? Warren rejects the very idea.
“A negotiating tactic? What for?” Warren told TalkSport. “He’s the A-side of the card. His two fights against Usyk were close fights. AJ’s last fight, he got absolutely poleaxed by Daniel Dubois. He’s the A-side. AJ needs him. You can’t have everything you want. It is what it is.
“The important thing is that he’s happy. That’s all that matters. Sod everybody else, as long as he’s happy and his family’s happy, that’s what everyone should care about.”
