Tyson Fury retires: Could Anthony Joshua tempt rival back into the ring? ‘If he wants to, he will’
Frank Warren says Tyson Fury has nothing to prove by fighting Anthony Joshua as the promoter led tributes to the two-time heavyweight world champion after he announced his retirement from boxing for a second time.
A month on from his second defeat to Oleksandr Usyk, Fury posted a cryptic video on social media in which he claimed to have hung up his boxing gloves for good.
“Hi everybody, I’m going to make this short and sweet,” Fury said. “I’d like to announce my retirement from boxing. It’s been a blast.
“I’ve loved every single minute of it and I’m going to end with this: ‘Dick Turpin wore a mask’. God bless everybody, see you on the other side.”
With the timing of the announcement dashing the prospect of an all-British heavyweight clash against Joshua, the authenticity of Fury’s announcement has been questioned, but the decision was welcomed by his promoter Warren, who reflected on Fury’s stellar career.
“Good luck to him, God bless him. I’m thrilled for him,” Warren told Sky Sports. “I’ve been saying since his last fight, whatever he chooses to do I support him 100 per cent.
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Tyson Fury sends out retirement video via Instagram, along with cryptic message.
“He’s done unbelievably great things for British boxing, world boxing. He’s been involved in some of the most exciting fights, certainly in the second coming it’s been exciting fights, every one of them.
“I’m delighted for them. I hope he and his family enjoy the fruits of his labour.
“Talk about excitement in rings, in press conferences, he’s the best and I hope people acknowledge that now.”
Asked whether fighting Joshua could tempt Fury out of retirement, Warren replied: “It’s up to him. If he wants to, he will. If he doesn’t, he doesn’t. He doesn’t have to prove anything to anybody.”
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Speaking to Matchroom Boxing, promoter Eddie Hearn gives his thoughts on Tyson Fury’s retirement, suggesting it’s the best option if he doesn’t want to box anymore
Hearn: Make sure someone pays you to come out of retirement!
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said he doubted Fury’s career was over.
With a date at Wembley reserved for the potential showdown between Fury and Joshua, Hearn labelled Monday’s shock announcement a “natural play” for someone seeking an advantage in fight negotiations.
“If you haven’t got the heart for it anymore and you don’t want to compete anymore, retirement is the best option,” Hearn told Sky Sports.
“Disappointing, obviously, for British fight fans because we’ve got the chance to make the biggest fight in British boxing. If that’s the last we see of him, he’s had a great career, but I doubt it.
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Matt Macklin speaks about Tyson Fury’s retirement announcement and the potential disappointment if he never faces Anthony Joshua in the ring
“It’s always best to come into retirement to make sure someone pays you to come out of retirement! But if that’s his lot, much respect to him and we wish him all the best.”
Hearn continued: “If I was looking at the right deal, I’d go into retirement too, I think it’s a natural play, but I cannot speak on his behalf and do not know him well enough to comment.
“Fury is the man to make his own decisions and boxing is not the kind of sport you want to play in if your heart is not in it anymore. If his heart is not in it anymore, then it’s the right decision for him. Hopefully it’s not the case and we get to see the AJ fight.”
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Johnny Nelson reacts to Tyson Fury’s retirement announcement, saying he ‘doesn’t believe it’, questioning why he would consider it when a fight with AJ is on the table and referring to the amount of times the boxer has retired before
Nelson: Fury is ‘boy that cried wolf’
Sky Sports Boxing’s Johnny Nelson:
“The boy that cried wolf and maybe today Tyson believes that’s what is coming from his heart and soul. He will listen to the comments but because he’s done it before and you think about what is on the table now, why would you do that right now?
“As long as that fight with AJ’s out there, I don’t believe that. Who knows? Do you think Tyson has quit? He’s quit in his head today but tomorrow it’s a different story. I don’t believe him.
“So if you listen to the remarks of Frank and Eddie, it just reminds me of parents when you’re a young child and you say, ‘you’re leaving home, I’m running away’ and your mum and dad said, ‘yeah, go on then’, because they know they don’t have to deal with you.
“So maybe Frank is actually thinking, ‘you know what? This is him today. I get it. I’m going to go with you but the door’s still open’.
“I just don’t believe it because there’s too much of a lucrative opportunity out there still for him with Anthony Joshua.”
