‘It’s been a blast’: Tyson Fury retires again to catch boxing world off-guard

Tyson Fury has announced his retirement from boxing, yet again, in a 17-second posting on Instagram which he released just hours before a major press conference in London to publicise next month’s heavily hyped Riyadh bill which includes Daniel Dubois’ IBF world title defence against Joseph Parker.

It could be a typical ploy from Fury to divert attention from other heavyweights but, following two punishing fights against Oleksandr Usyk last year, both of which he lost narrowly, he might have chosen to get out of the brutal fight business with his faculties intact and more money than he can spend in the coming years.

Fury is still aggrieved by the result of his rematch with Usyk last month, as all three judges scored the fight in favour of the Ukrainian by identical margins of 116-112. “I think he got a Christmas gift from those judges,” Fury said of Usyk in the immediate aftermath and, in his retirement statement, he appeared to imply he had been robbed by making a cryptic allusion.

“Hi everybody, I’ll make this short and sweet, I’d like to announce my retirement from boxing,” Fury said in his brief video on Monday afternoon. “It’s been a blast and I’ve loved every single minute of it. I’m going to end with this, Dick Turpin wore a mask. God bless everybody, I’ll see you on the other side.”

Frank Warren, Fury’s promoter, admitted to the Guardian that he had not been expecting the announcement. “We have to respect Tyson for all he has done in boxing, and for his decision,” Warren said. “But it’s also important to remember that Tyson deals with his bipolar. He has done incredibly well over the years, coping with it, but the way he feels today might be different to the way he feels a few months from now.”

Eddie Hearn, who promotes Anthony Joshua, will be hoping that Fury makes another familiar U-turn and reverses his decision. Hearn has been leading calls for Fury to fight Joshua – who this past weekend had also expressed his enthusiasm for the all-British heavyweight bout which has been discussed for so many years without coming to fruition.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever seen AJ really call him out,” Hearn said. “So does Fury want that pressure to keep mounting on him or does he want to draw a line under it? I just don’t know if Tyson Fury is ready yet to live the life without boxing and without competition and confrontation. I really don’t know the guy but maybe the last fight and last camp was horrible for him and he didn’t enjoy it. He’s made an absolute fortune and said: ‘Fuck it, I’m done.’

“I’m not going to accuse him of not being genuine but I think you get a better deal coming out of retirement – or maybe he just hasn’t got the stomach for it any more. He got beat twice and has had enough. I doubt it but who knows.”

Hearn stressed that negotiations for Fury to fight Joshua, who was knocked out by Dubois in September, had not begun. “There was nothing. Negotiations hadn’t even started. It has only been three weeks since he got beat. We probably would have looked to have started talks in the next two or three weeks. We’d already spoken to Frank and [Fury’s manager] Spencer Brown to say that we want to do the fight. They said it wasn’t the time now but when the time comes let’s talk.”

Hearn added: “Just like Tyson Fury would have been struggling, AJ struggled with the Dubois defeat, there’s no doubt about it. He’s only just come through the other side and now he’s got the bit between his teeth.”

As time runs out for both former world champions, who have been in damaging bouts over the years, Hearn suggested: “I think Fury’s either going to fight AJ or he’s never going to fight again. It’s still the same situation but not the best timing ahead of this press conference.”

Warren was more blunt in saying that he “couldn’t give a toss” if Fury and Joshua never face each other in the ring

But, characterised by the endless hope of the hustling promoter, Hearn added: “My gut feeling is we see AJ against Fury this summer. Maybe [Fury’s] for real. But I cannot believe that he would check out without doing that fight.”

Warren, having had more time to consider Fury’s retirement, said: “God bless him. If that’s what he wants to do, that’s what he should do. I said it all along, nobody should be trying to influence him in the boxing world. It’s up to him after consulting his family. He’s made a lot of money and had a fantastic career. He’s the best British heavyweight and probably the joint-best heavyweight of his division this century. He’s been in some magnificent fights and it’s been exciting to be around him. He’s been brilliant for British and world boxing and I wish him a lovely retirement and to enjoy his life.”