By Jack Tiernan: Tyson Fury says he’s considering retiring after his April 23rd fight against Dillian Whyte. WBC heavyweight champion Fury (31-0-1, 22 KOs) thinks it would be an excellent time for him to hang up his gloves while he’s still young and on the top of his game as the #1 heavyweight on the planet.
(Courtesy: Queensberry Promotions)
As of now, Fury says it’s “VERY likely” that he’ll retire after his title defense against his WBC mandatory Whyte (28-2, 19 KOs) on April 23rd at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
Fury says he would like to battle IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Oleksander Usyk for the undisputed championship later this year. Still, he doubts that’s possible now with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In response to the invasion, Usyk has joined Ukraine’s territorial defense forces, and his rematch with Anthony Joshua is now uncertain to take place.
Indeed, Fury doubts Usyk will go ahead with the Joshua rematch because he has bigger things on his plate defending his country against the massive Russian army.
Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin appears to be trying to end the war as quickly as possible, and Usyk will be in the thick of things in things for the time being.
“This is the final fight of my career; I’m retiring after this. $150million in the bank, healthy, young, I’m gonna buy a massive yacht abroad. I’m retiring; I’m out, this is my final fight, I’m done.”
“No, not at all,” said Fury to iFL TV when asked if he thinks Anthony Joshua beats Oleksandr Usyk in the rematch. “I don’t think the fight happens now with the way things are going.
“I tell the truth of what he is. He’s a third-rate professional boxer,” said Fury to Secondsout on how he views Whyte. “He’s a decent British level, but I’m a very good world level.
“I think they’re very even, to be fair,” said Fury on his view that he sees Whyte as being on the same level as Dereck Chisora. “On any given day, each one of them could beat the other.
“I thought Dereck Chisora won the first fight, and he was winning the second fight until he got chinned. So they’re around 50-50. I can’t talk him up. He’s 6’4”, he’s got a good left hook, and an aggressive style, he’s big, he’s strong and what more can I say about him?
“For sure, I’m knocking him [Whyte] out. He’s chinless, as I said. Listen, this could be my last fight. This is a crowning moment for me. WBC championship defense, two British fighters at Wembley Stadium with nothing to prove. Go out on top and live like a legend forever.
“Very likely,” said Fury when asked how likely it’ll be that he retires after his defense against Whyte. “This is my final fight with ESPN and Top Rank. I think my contract is out with them.
“I don’t have to fight on anymore, I’ve got nothing to prove. I’ve got family to look after. This is probably one of my final fights, and if I do fight again, it’ll probably be in a fantasy fight.
“Dillian Whyte, I’m coming for you sucker, I’m coming,” said Fury in sending a message to Dillian ahead of their April 23rd fight.
It would be a terrible shame if Fury were to retire after his defense against Whyte, but you can understand why he would want to.
With a net worth of $150 million, he’s got the type of money that will last generations, keeping him, his kids, and their children wealthy for their entire lives.
It’s challenging to stay motivated when you’ve got that kind of money, mainly when your only competition, Oleksandr Usyk, is out of commission due to his military duties in Ukraine.
