LONDON — British heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury has announced his decision to retire from the sport once again, just a month after suffering a defeat in a rematch against Ukrainian champion Oleksandr Usyk. The 36-year-old Fury shared this news through a brief video on his Instagram account, which featured an ambiguous statement.
“Hello everyone, I’ll keep this brief. I am officially announcing my retirement from boxing,” Fury expressed. “It’s been an incredible journey, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. I’ll leave you with this thought: Dick Turpin wore a mask. God bless everyone, and see you on the other side.”
Fury’s mention of Turpin, a notorious English highwayman from the 18th century, left many wondering about its significance.
Following his rematch with Usyk on December 21 in Saudi Arabia, Fury was dissatisfied with the unanimous decision that resulted in his loss. In the bout, Usyk effectively landed 179 out of 423 punches thrown, which accounted for 42%, while Fury managed to hit 144 of his 509 punches, translating to a mere 28%.
Fury acknowledged his own errors during the fight, particularly his tendency to showboat, which contributed to his loss in their first clash in Riyadh in May, where he was defeated by split decision.
Fans of British boxing had been eager to see a face-off between Fury and fellow countryman Anthony Joshua—a matchup long-discussed but now seemingly unlikely to materialize.
This isn’t the first time Fury has declared retirement; he made a similar announcement on his 34th birthday in August 2022, but returned to the ring just two months later.
Earlier in April of that same year, Fury had suggested he might hang up his gloves after an impressive knockout victory over Dillian Whyte, witnessed by over 94,000 fans at Wembley Stadium. Yet, he continued to fight, claiming two additional victories against Derek Chisora and Francis Ngannou, the latter being an MMA fighter making his boxing debut, before facing his final challenge in Usyk.
Fury’s professional record stands at 34 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw, with 24 knockouts. Notably, both of his losses came at the hands of Usyk, marking the only blemishes on his career, which began in 2008 and includes a drawing bout against American Deontay Wilder in 2018.
Oleksandr Usyk recently received recognition as Ring magazine’s Male Fighter of the Year and took a moment to humorously acknowledge Fury in his speech. The two fighters have developed a friendship and mutual respect, with Usyk expressing gratitude, humorously referring to Fury as “greedy belly.”
Prominent boxing promoter Frank Warren, who has collaborated with Fury, shared that he had not engaged with him prior to the retirement announcement. “If that’s his choice, that’s fantastic. He has accomplished everything he set out to do and is arguably the best British heavyweight of his generation,” Warren commented. “He’s a two-time world champion and engaged in two highly contested bouts against Usyk. With plenty of financial security, a sound mind, and a wonderful family, he can be proud of his career.”
