Tyson Fury: Former heavyweight world champion retires from boxing after defeats to Oleksandr Usyk

13 January 2025, 14:06 | Updated: 14 January 2025, 10:29

Tyson Fury has announced his retirement from boxing with immediate effect.

The announcement comes just two days after Eddie Hearn revealed Wembley had been reserved for Fury to fight Anthony Joshua in the summer.

It is not the first time Fury has announced his retirement, as in April 2022, after beating Dillian Whyte, the Briton said he would be hanging up his gloves.

The 36-year-old returned six months later to fight Derek Chisora in a trilogy bout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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"I'd like to announce my retirement from boxing," said Fury in a video post on Instagram.

"It's been a blast. I have loved every single minute of it and I'm going to end with this - Dick Turpin wore a mask!"

Fury's promoter Frank Warren told Sky Sports: "Good luck to him, God bless him. I'm thrilled for him. I've been saying since his last fight whatever he chooses to do I support him 100 per cent.

"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 him. I hope he and his family enjoy the fruits of his labour."

Last week, Joshua, who has not fought since being knocked out by Daniel Dubois in September, posted a picture of Fury on his Instagram with the message "looking for this guy".

Eddie Hearn told Matchroom that Fury's decision to retire is "disappointing for British fight fans" but "doubts" his career is over and hopes the Joshua-Fury fight can still happen.

Asked whether the Joshua fight could tempt Fury out of retirement, Warren said: "It's up to him. If he wants to he will. If doesn't, he doesn't. He doesn't have to prove anything to anybody."

Fury was beaten by unanimous decision in December in his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.

He speculated as to whether he'd even box again after the fight, stating: "I might do, I might not. I'm going home and having time off."

Fury is a two-time heavyweight world champion, winning his first title when he defeated Wladimir Klitschko in 2015.

After a three-year break, he returned to the ring and went on to beat Deontay Wilder in their second fight in 2020 to become WBC champion, before defending his title against Wilder again in 2021, then against Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora in 2022.

He overcame a big scare against Francis Ngannou in 2023, before losing twice to Usyk last year.

Nelson: Fury is 'boy that cried wolf'

Sky Sports Boxing's Jonny 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 with AJ's out there, I don't believe that, who knows? Do you think Tyson has quit? He's quit 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 you know, Frank is actually thinking, 'You know what? This is him today. I get it. I'm gonna 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."

Sky Sports News' Ben Ransom:

"Very cryptic and typical Tyson Fury. Not the first time we've heard him make a similar statement about retiring. Rewind the clock to 2022 after he'd just beaten Dilian Whyte, and he said that that was it, he was done and ready to ride off into the sunset.

"And then he was tempted back, shall we say, to fight Derek Chisora and then ultimately it led him on a path towards the opportunity of being undisputed heavyweight king.

"So I think we can take it with a slight pinch of salt, just given that previous.

"I think the cryptic message about Dick Turpin wearing a mask is the bit that maybe makes me think there's more going on than he's letting slip at the moment."

Fury's boxing legacy

Sky Sports' John Dennen:

"Tyson Fury does have a legacy in the sport. He's won every major title in the division. He's had seminal moments in boxing. He upset Wladimir Klitschko, previously a dominant champion, as long ago as 2015 to first hold unified titles.

"He then completed an extraordinary comeback when, after remaining inactive for over two years, piling on weight and struggling with mental health, he returned to the sport.

"Fury drew controversially with Deontay Wilder in 2018, memorably rising from a heavy knockdown. He then became the WBC world champion when he crushed Wilder in a rematch and the pair completed their trilogy with one of the most exciting heavyweight fights of all time.

"But there are holes in his resume. He never held all four of the major titles at the same time. This year his bid for the undisputed heavyweight world championship against Oleksandr Usyk ended in defeat. He also failed in his second bout with Usyk, losing another points decision which means Usyk will be considered the best heavyweight of this era.

"He has also never boxed his great British rival Anthony Joshua. But perhaps that fight could tempt Fury out of retirement. He has of course retired, and unretired before…"

(c) Sky Sports 2025: Tyson Fury: Former heavyweight world champion retires from boxing after defeats to Oleksandr Usyk