Tyson Fury refused to rule out retiring after his second loss to Oleksandr Usyk (Image: Getty)
would have been guaranteed a third crack at if he had won their rematch on Saturday night, according to promoter Frank Warren.
But with Usyk beating the Gypsy King for the second time in 2024, Fury now faces an uncertain future. The 36-year-old briefly retired in 2022 but many are now wondering whether he could hang up the gloves for good in the wake of back-to-back losses in Saudi Arabia.
Here, Express Sport takes you through everything we know about Fury’s retirement plans…
Pre-fight comments
Fury did not entertain any notion of retirement leading up to his first fight with Usyk, and he even detailed a five-fight plan which will – if carried out – keep him in the sport for years to come.
“I’ve got two fights with Usyk, for the undisputed twice,” he explained. “Then I’m gonna fight AJ [Anthony Joshua] at least once. Maybe twice if there’s a rematch, if he wants one after the first battering I give him. And then I’m gonna fight [Francis] Ngannou again. And that’s just to start.”
Months later, before his second fight with Usyk, Fury doubled down on his anti-retirement stance, saying: “I’m not interested in all that stuff. That stuff is for the lame. I’m motivated by the big pay cheques and the big crowds and the big events.”
Tyson Fury felt aggrieved by the judges’ unanimous decision verdict (Image: Getty)
Post-fight retirement hint
Having suffered a second defeat to Usyk which, according to the judges’ scorecards, was more resounding than the first, Fury seemed to change his tune. And the Manchester-born fighter outright admitted that fans may never see him in the ring again.
“I want to go home and have a good Christmas,” he said after losing by a unanimous decision, which he disputes. “I have worked hard for this fight. Thanks to everyone who came and supported me. You may see me fight again, you may not.”
Frank Warren chimes in
Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, was similarly vague about the Gypsy King’s future plans. The obvious next bout would be against Joshua for an all-British showdown which fans have been clamouring to see for years, but Warren insists that no decision will be made in the heat of the moment.
“We’ll have to see what happens in the future for Tyson,” he said. “It’s up to Tyson. It’s just after a fight and emotions are running high. Who knows what is next and what he will do. He will make that decision.”