“Hi everybody. I’m gonna make this short and sweet. 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.”
So said Tyson Fury on his Instagram post Monday. The former heavyweight champion who recently lost his second consecutive championship fight to Oleksandr Usyk called it quits. Are we to believe that Fury has hung up the gloves?
I have been around boxing for over 43 years. Fighters come and go, they retire because they need a hiatus from taking too many punches, though they never lose their perspective of the sport. They return because they miss the roars of a crowd. The money is too good, especially now with streaming networks in control and promoters lured to Saudi Arabia where Kings and Princes are flashing tons of cash and making mega fights for the fans.
Fury, 36 years of age is no different from the fighters who return after a brief retirement announcement, Exception, though, 58-year-old Mike Tyson, the former heavyweight champion who had his comeback fight with Jake Paul in November. Tyson made a lot of money, a fight that went in the record books and became a farce.
The greats have preceded what Fury has announced and returned with successful comebacks and left again. Hall of Famers Muhammad Ali, Roberto Duran, Erik Morales, and Sugar Ray Leonard to name a few. Boxing is a sport not like the others and retirement is not a sure thing.
So Fury has joined the fraternity for the moment and takes his 34-2-1 record home. He will be a dad, husband, and watch boxing. He will be at ringside attending fights and remain a figure, never a loss for words. And he will return when the time is right.
His two consecutive losses to Usyk, the first controversial and surrendering his unified heavyweight titles, and the rematch unanimous decision loss last month probably revolved around Fury’s decision. Fighters will contemplate tough defeats, Fury is no different.
But taking too many punches and leaving a sport that earned him millions is difficult to believe. Leaving a sport that put him in the spotlight is also hard to comprehend, a career propelled him to roles on Television and in motion pictures. Fury also has an open invitation to return as a WWE performer, once a headliner who made the transition from boxing to grappling.
So this is not the last of Tyson Fury, believe me when I say this. Rumors circulated about a return to the WWE, possibly as soon as mid-April for WrestleMania as a headliner. Many believe Fury will return to the boxing ring because the money would be hard to refuse.
So before we can describe a legacy, Fury, a two-time champion winning as an underdog against Wladimir Klitschko (WBA, WBO, IBF) and dethroning the nine-year champion of 18 title defenses, don’t jump the gun. He has retired four previous times during his career.
Remember his legendary 2018 first fight of three against Deontay Wilder, coming off the mat after a 12th round knockdown, resembling the WWE Undertaker and rising from the dead that resulted in a controversial draw. It led to a legendary trilogy in the heavyweight division.
Fury will return and seek more; I am sure of that. The past few years there has been talk of meeting former champion and fellow UK favorite Anthony Joshua, but logistics of a confused heavyweight division and Fury on-and-off retirement never got them in the ring. Joshua has declined with his last few defeats and Fury with his two unsuccessful fights with Usyk.
The money is still on the table, a fight with Fury and Joshua in the UK at Wembley Stadium with an excess of 90,000 fans. The promoters Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing and Frank Warren of Queensbury commented Monday the fight could occur, but it is in the hands of Fury.
A historic fight and biggest in British boxing history with Joshua is inevitable and bound to happen despite the minimal significance of the heavyweight title picture. Believe me Tyson Fury will return, the question is when?
The “King” Returns to The Garden: ‘King’ Callum Walsh, (12-0, 10 KOs), of Cork, Ireland returns to headline St. Patrick’s Day Weekend at The Theater at Madison Square Garden against ‘Deadly’ Dean Sutherland, (19-1, 7 KOs), of Aberdeen, Scotland in the 10-round main event on Sunday March 16th. The 23-year-old Walsh, trained by Hall of Famer Freddie Roach will be making the third defense of his WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight Title.
The event is promoted by Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions and will be broadcast globally on UFC Fight Pass, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. This marks the third headlining fight at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, for Walsh, currently world ranked #6 by the International Boxing Federation and #7 by the World Boxing Council.
Rich Mancuso: X @Ring786, Facebook.com/RichMancuso
Rich Mancuso hosts Keep It in The Ring, Thursday evening live 8PM ET with latest boxing, pro wrestling talk and analysis. Subscribe and comment @Rich Mancuso @YouTube
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