After the fight: Reason to believe Tyson Fury won’t retire

Tyson Fury claimed that he’s retiring after his April 23 victory over Dillian Whyte, but there are several reasons to believe he will continue boxing. 

Tyson Fury plans to retire–sort of.

Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs) easily defended his WBC heavyweight boxing title against Dillian Whyte on April 23 via round 6 TKO. At 33 years old, Fury is still in his prime, and it’s unlikely that he will step away from the ring despite his retirement commentary.

Fury has been making retirement claims for months. He first said he would retire after the Whyte bout while talking to BT Sport in March (h/t Evening Standard).

However, when asked by FanSided about those comments early during a pre-fight media call, Fury dialed back his eagerness to retire.

“This is my final fight, done,” Fury told BT Sport in March.

Compare that to what he told FanSided.

“I’m not thinking about retirement,” Fury told FanSided on a pre-fight media call. “That will all come after I’ve had the fight. We’ll think about what’s going to happen and what the future holds for me.”

Days after making those comments, he went back to proclaim to multiple media outlets that he would retire after the Whyte fight.

After finishing Whyte off in front of an estimated 94,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, Fury dubiously doubled down on retirement.

“I think this is it. This might be the final curtain for The Gypsy King,” Fury said after the contest.

Fury didn’t say he’s “done,” as he stated in March. He took a middle-of-the-road approach.

Fury used “I think” and “This might” on purpose. He hasn’t decided on retirement if you look at all the words he has used on the subject.

Maybe Fury is legitimately conflicted about his boxing future. Boxing is a grueling profession that punishes the body.

Many fighters get damaged physically and mentally, and boxing requires a focused, spartan existence. Fury has tasted life without boxing for an extended period of time.

Tyson Fury vs. the winner of Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua would manifest the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion of the world

Fury didn’t box for nearly three years after winning three of the four prominent heavyweight titles from Wladimir Klitschko in 2015. He slipped into a deep depression that was a byproduct of his struggles with mental illness.

Then again, he also couldn’t box at the time. He failed a UKAD drug test for nandrolone in 2016 and later tested positive for cocaine.

His mental health struggles went on for years, as did his PED case with the UKAD and BBBofC. Fortunately, Fury received help for his mental health problems and regained the motivation to fight on.

Fury has spoken about boxing and training to battle mental health. He told FanSided in 2019 that daily physical activity helps him overcome depression.

Considering his success and ambition, it’s hard to believe that Fury could walk away from boxing. He still has unfinished business.

Fury is a heavyweight champion, but he’s not the undisputed champion. Oleksandr Usyk holds the other three titles and is expected to meet Anthony Joshua in a rematch this summer.

Boxing hasn’t had an undisputed champion in the four-belt era. We’re close to getting one.

It has taken years, but a full unification matchup is possible. Fury vs. the Usyk vs. Joshua winner would be the most significant event in boxing.

Fury would get the most lucrative payday of his career and the chance at making boxing history while still at his best. It’s the opportunity every boxer dreams of.

Maybe Fury is playing games, or perhaps he’s angling for more money. Who’s to tell for sure?

What’s clear is Fury hasn’t made a final decision.

After betting on Whyte, Fury brought UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou into the ring to float the possibility of a crossover combat event between the two.

Fighting Ngannou wouldn’t equate to retirement. That move demonstrates that Fury has combat plans.

He could fight Nagnnou and make a boatload of money doing it. Maybe he will take a page out of Jake Paul’s book by beating up on an MMA fighter in the boxing ring.

Some think he’s serious about retirement and that he’s using retirement as an excuse to distance himself from alleged drug kingpin Daniel Kinahan, who advised him once upon a time.

That’s a great premise for a movie but Fury just fought Whyte while Kinhan was facing worldwide heat.

Fury is probably outside of Kinahan’s orbit by now, and his business is boxing, as he repeated during fight week when asked about Kinahan.

Ngannou’s name brings money, but not the value of the winner of Usyk vs. Joshua. A fight for the undisputed heavyweight title brings respect, glory, money and legitimacy.

Before anything else, Fury is a boxer. This is what he does. This is his profession.

Fury is the kind of fighter and man who wants to be the best. He’s not going to walk away from a chance at being undisputed. That’s every boxer’s ultimate goal and it’s Fury’s too.