British heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury has announced his retirement from boxing once again, a month after his loss to Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk in a rematch on December 21.
Fury, 36, made the surprise announcement in a brief video shared on his Instagram account on Monday (January 13), where he expressed his gratitude for his career while also referencing an 18th-century English highway robber, Dick Turpin.
"Hi everybody, I'm going to make this short and sweet. I'd like to announce my retirement from boxing,” Fury stated in the video. “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.”
Fury's reference to Turpin, a notorious figure in British history, was cryptic, with no clear explanation provided.
Fury’s announcement follows his defeat to Usyk in Saudi Arabia. The undefeated Ukrainian boxer won by unanimous decision, landing 179 punches out of 423 (42%), compared to Fury’s 144 out of 509 (28%).
Fury had expressed dissatisfaction with the decision and acknowledged mistakes made during the fight, including showboating, which contributed to his loss in their first fight earlier in May.
Fans had been hopeful for a potential fight between Fury and fellow Brit Anthony Joshua, but Fury’s retirement now puts these discussions in jeopardy.
Despite previously announcing his retirement, notably on his 34th birthday in August 2022, Fury returned to the ring just two months later, having earlier hinted at retiring after his April 2022 knockout of Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium. After that, he won two more fights—against Derek Chisora and Francis Ngannou—before finally losing to Usyk.
Fury’s career record stands at 34 wins, two losses, and one draw, with 24 knockouts. The losses to Usyk are the only blemishes on his otherwise stellar career, which began in 2008, including a draw against American boxer Deontay Wilder in 2018.
Usyk, who recently won the Ring magazine Male Fighter of the Year award, took to social media to express his gratitude for the mutual respect between the two fighters.
“My friend, greedy belly, thank you so much, you (are) great my opponent,” Usyk wrote, raising a clenched right fist in recognition of their friendship.
Fury’s retirement, though uncertain, marks the end of a significant chapter in British boxing history.
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