Tyson Fury makes retirement decision after devastating Oleksandr Usyk loss
Tyson Fury refused to comment on his future following his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night, but the Gypsy King has now revealed his plans to his close friends
Tyson Fury is set to return to the boxing ring despite his devastating loss to Oleksandr Usyk.
The Gypsy King faced Usyk in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night in a rematch of the bout he lost in May. But it would prove to be another difficult night for Fury as he fell to another defeat, this time by unanimous decision.
The Englishman fumed at the judges following the loss as he insisted Usyk had been handed a ‘Christmas gift’. It was just the second defeat of his career, having claimed 34 wins and one draw in his other bouts.
Given he is 36 years old, it had been suggested that Fury could now call time on his career. But it appears that the former world heavyweight champion is instead lining up his next fight.
According to The Sun, Fury flew back to Manchester on a private jet on Sunday afternoon. He is planning a traditional Christmas at his home in Lancashire before he makes any public comment on his future.
But it is claimed that he has told friends ‘It’s not over’, hinting that he is eyeing a return to the ring. A £250million Battle of Britain mega-fight against AJ Joshua is already being discussed by the two boxers’ promoters.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn insisted it is Fury’s only option following his defeat to Usyk. Hearn said: “There’s only one fight for Tyson Fury and that’s Anthony Joshua. It’s the biggest fight probably in the history of British boxing.
“Everyone will always want to see it. For me, AJ against Fury is the one, it’s the one at Wembley. It will be a huge global event.”
Fury’s promoter Frank Warren is also keen to set a fight with Joshua up. He told The Sun: “It’s what people will want to watch. If it happens it will be a mega fight, it will be brilliant. But it will only happen if Tyson wants to do it and that’s a big if.”
Fury’s immediate focus was on his defeat to Ukranian star Usyk. He hit out at the judges for their scoring, before leaving the door open to a possible retirement.
He said: “There’s no doubt in my mind I won the fight, that’s it, we can’t cry over it. We didn’t feel no spirit, we felt a bit of Christmas spirit in there and I think he got a little Christmas gift from them judges.
“But when you don’t get the knockout this is what happens, you can’t guarantee a win. In that fight there, he never hurt me once, I’ve got a couple of flesh wounds, they’ll be gone in two or three days.
“What’s next for me? I’m going home and having some time off. You might do [see him fight again], you might not do. Who knows? We’ll talk about that next year.”
