By Adam Godfrey: Tyson Fury took to twitter today to announce his retirement from Boxing, presumably in the wake of allegations that the Heavyweight champion has tested positive for cocaine. Fury, who holds the WBA and WBO straps, has not fought since he defeated long time champion Wladamir Klitchko on points in November 2015. The Mancunian has experienced a turbulent 11 months since that victory, having been forced to pull out of two separate rematches with the Ukrainian, as well as being embroiled in the aforementioned drug scandal, all amid rumors of deteriorating mental health. It now seems a given that Fury will be stripped of his remaining titles.
Fury’s announcement came via a tweet, which read:
‘Boxing is the saddest thing I ever took part in, all a pile of s..t, I’m the greatest, & I’m also retired, so go suck a d..k, happy days.
Although retirement U-turns are not rare in Boxing, there is a reasonable chance Tyson has left the sport for good, or at least for the short to medium-term future. Clearly distracted by events outside of the ring, Fury would be well advised to take significant time away from the limelight to confront whatever issues he is facing. Boxing seems to have become a burden, and if he is to fight for, and perhaps win, a World title in the future, he needs to be in a place where he can focus on maximising his significant potential. Importantly, he also needs to be in a position where he can stay active and fight at least twice a year.
Fury won over a number of fans when he defeated Klitchko in a mostly forgettable fight in Germany, but a number of incidents since have tested the patience of Boxing fans. His self-deprecation in reference to his weight, long winded video rants and failure to fight Klitchko for a second time have all contributed to Fury’s fall from grace, and may have exhausted the goodwill that much of the Boxing community granted him.
As with anybody suffering from mental health issues, regardless of its nature or cause, Tyson Fury should be wished good luck in battling his demons for the good of himself and his family. While there wont be universal clamor for his return, fans of the Heavyweight will be hoping that some time reflecting on his career and wellbeing will enable him to return to the fold and in a state of mind conducive to being a successful athlete.
Boxing is the saddest thing I ever took part in, all a pile of shit, I'm the greatest, & I'm also retired, so go suck a dick, happy days.😀😀😀
— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) October 3, 2016