For years, the boxing world has eagerly awaited a showdown between British heavyweights Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Despite the huge hype and multiple negotiations, the long-awaited fight never materialized, frustrating millions of fans. Now, the picture is becoming clearer, but not as many expected, as the former unified champion Anthony Joshua looks set to return to the ring later this year, however, his most desired opponent, former WBC champion Tyson Fury, has been blunt in expressing his disinterest in resuming those talks.
Tyson Fury, 36, with a professional record of 34 wins and two losses, officially retired from boxing in January this year, a decision that came after his second loss to Oleksandr Usyk in December. Both fights were extremely close and were marked by controversy on the judges’ scorecards, who did not rule in his favor. Finally, frustration at those decisions led Fury to walk away from the sport that brought him fame and that he loves so much.
In an interview with Seconds Out during an IBA Pro event in Turkey, Fury was blunt when asked about a possible clash with Anthony Joshua: “I’m retired, and he’s at the end of his career. Why would I come back? I’ve won all the belts, haven’t I? Does the love of the sport outweigh my health? There you go. I think you already answered your own question”.
A glimmer of hope
Despite his constant doubts about retirement and returning to the ring, Tyson Fury recently gave his fans a glimmer of hope. During a meeting with the media, he hinted that there is one fight that could tempt him back into the ring.
“If I were to go back, I would go back for Usyk. In England. That’s the one I want straight away, that would be the fight I would want next. In England, for sure,” Fury said. The reason behind this obsession is his firm belief that he won the second fight in December. “My last fight was a clear and f***ing victory for The Gypsy King. Anyone in boxing can see it. A complete s***…,” he added.
A lifelong love
Despite his love-hate relationship with boxing for almost 25 years, Tyson Fury’s passion for the sport is still evident. “It’s a great sport and everything I have I owe to boxing and I’m very grateful. I’m still very much in love with the game. I train regularly, I do all of the above,” he said.
Despite his wishes and those of the fans, a trilogy with Usyk does not seem likely in the immediate future, as the Ukrainian champion is scheduled to defend his titles against Daniel Dubois on July 19. Despite this, Usyk has stated that he is open to the idea of a third fight with Fury, so the doors are not 100% closed.
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