Tag

Tyson fury

Browsing

British boxing legend Ricky Hatton believes he knows what it will take for Tyson Fury to leave retirement and get in the ring with Anthony Joshua.

The much-anticipated British heavyweight showdown was being discussed until Fury announced his retirement from the sport in January following consecutive defeats to heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. Since then, the Gypsy King has given no indication that he plans to reverse his decision, but fellow Mancunian Hatton, a close friend of Fury’s, has shared his thoughts on the situation.

The former light welterweight world champion believes that for the “right money”, Tyson would “jump” at the chance to share the ring with his fellow countryman.

 

READ: “Offered the Fight 10 or 20 Times”: Allegations Fly as Floyd Mayweather Hits Back at Jake Paul’s Alleged Lies

He told Sky Sports: “Tyson’s retired before. It just so happens they were trying to make the Joshua fight. They were trying to make it for 10 years, and it looks like they’re still not going to make it now Tyson’s retired.

“But I would take that retirement with a pinch of salt, knowing Tyson. If he gets offered the right money, the right purse for the AJ fight, knowing Tyson as I do, I think he’d jump at it.”

Hatton recommended that Fury take the Joshua fight, asserting that missing the opportunity could lead to the 36-year-old having regrets down the line.

“I think Tyson will kick himself if he’s sat on his sofa 10 years down the line and thinks to himself: ‘I wonder what would have happened if I’d have fought AJ?’ He’s in a position to do something about it now rather than be cursing himself for the rest of his life.”

Fury’s decision to retire left boxing fans around the world disappointed as the former world heavyweight champion announced his decision on social media.

Hatton, who was in Fury’s corner for his 2018 fight against Deontay Wilder, acknowledged that while Joshua might tempt Fury out of retirement, he believes the Gypsy King has accomplished enough and would like to see him hang up his gloves for good.

“If he does, that’s the last one I’d like him to have. Because you don’t like to see your mates get hurt.”

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua’s professional boxing records (as of 16/03/25)
Tyson Fury Anthony Joshua
Fights 37 32
Wins 34 28
Losses 2 4
Draws 1 0

He continued: “I’d like to see him retire. I think he’s done enough. I would like to see the AJ fight, but I think he’s done enough. Let’s have it right, a few years ago, when he was 26st, we never thought he’d fight again. He nearly wasn’t here for all the problems that he had. So for him to do what he’s done, he’s done us all proud, and I’d like to see him retire now.”

Hatton also reflected: “His fights against Usyk were, I think, a lot closer than AJ’s fights with Usyk. Daniel Dubois obviously got beat by Usyk and there was a bit of controversy in that one. I think Usyk won both the fights against Tyson, but I can see why other people thought Tyson might have won them. Because they were that close. Tyson, he’s still got plenty in the tank as far as I’m concerned. He’s pushed Usyk furthest out of anyone else.Tyson Fury after losing

“Look what he’s done and what he’s achieved. He’s had that trilogy with Deontay Wilder, which was an absolutely sensational three-fight battle. He’s come back when no one thought he could and became heavyweight champion of the world. He’s got nothing left to prove.”

Fury is no stranger to retirement U-turns (this marks the fifth time he has announced his departure from the ring), so Hatton’s optimism about a showdown with Joshua may keep fans’ hopes alive for a while longer.

Eddie Hearn has said “there’s quite a few things happening” regarding the return of Anthony Joshua.

The former heavyweight champion, who suffered a devastating defeat in September to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium, was hopeful of a quick turnaround into a rematch with IBF champion Dubois, but suffered an injury – believed to be to his arm – and could not start training camp again quickly enough to make a projected February 22 date for the return.

“Daniel Dubois, I think, will fight AJ this summer, if we want. And AJ wants to fight [Tyson] Fury,” said Hearn.

Joshua Hearn

JUST IN: Oleksandr Usyk Admits Number One Heavyweight In Line For A Fight With Him Is ‘Very Dangerous’

“We know right now [since Fury retired] that’s not an option. But I just want to throw a few other names into the mix and say, because we’re in March and he’ll probably fight in July, or something like that. So I just want to get the flavor. The flavor in Saudi [where Joshua was in attendance for Joseph Parker-Martin Bakole as part of the DAZN broadcast team] was, ‘I want Fury. If I can’t get Fury, I’d like Dubois.’”

Hearn then said: “And I think everyone’s dangerous. So why not fight for the world heavyweight title?

“’You could fight [Agit] Kabayel, you could fight [Zhilei] Zhang, you could fight Bakole, you could fight Parker.’ Parker’s as dangerous as Dubois, in my opinion. And he’s got no world heavyweight title. So we’ll have a conversation, and we’re going to start making some decisions.”

Asked about the February 22 date, Hearn said Joshua would not have been able to have had a long enough camp.

“And then you don’t do anything for a month, and then it [the injury] is playing up. That’s why, despite people thinking that he ducked February 22nd, there’s absolutely no way he could ever be anywhere near ready for February 22nd,” said Hearn.

Asked about Joshua’s fitness now, Hearn said his client “was firing on all cylinders”.

Tyson Fury shocked the boxing world when he announced his latest retirement in January.

‘The Gypsy King’ was last in action in December when he suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Oleksandr Usyk, in a rematch of their May encounter which Usyk won by split decision to become undisputed heavyweight champion.

While Fury may have suffered back-to-back defeats, it did look like it would finally set up a long-awaited showdown with British rival Anthony Joshua, with no more obstacles in the way to stop the bout.

Tyson Fury Anthony Joshua

JUST IN: WBC: Tyson Fury could come out of retirement and go straight into interim title fight

Joshua’s last bout saw him come up short in his bid to become a three-time world heavyweight champion, losing to Daniel Dubois by fifth round knockout at Wembley Stadium in September.

The plans to see Fury vs. Joshua went up in smoke though when Fury made his retirement announcement, posting a video on his social media.

“Hi everybody. I’m going to 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. Get up.”

Two months on, Fury has returned to social media with a cryptic message, posting a video of himself walking out at Manchester United’s Old Trafford with the caption: “Did you miss me?”

The rumours surrounding Fury and Joshua have ramped up in the past week, with streaming powerhouse Netflix reportedly interested in staging the fight between the two British stars.

For now, ‘The Gypsy King’ does remain retired, and Joshua has since been linked to another shock match-up which could take place this summer.

If Tyson Fury were to come out of retirement, the WBC has opened a route for him to return straight to world-level competition.

Fury, a former WBC heavyweight world champion, would be sanctioned to fight Agit Kabayel for the WBC’s interim belt if he came out of retirement.

The 36-year-old has teased a return to the ring on social media, posting a video of himself walking down the tunnel at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium with a reference to 2025 and a message of ‘Did you miss me?’.

Agit Kabayel gets off canvas, knocks out Zhang to win interim WBC belt -  Bad Left Hook

JUST IN: Tyson Fury comes out of retirement again as he signs up for £106m ‘big fight’ at Old Trafford

Kabayel won that strap with an impressive victory over Zhilei Zhang when he rose from the canvas to knock out Zhang with a body shot inside six rounds.

Germany’s Kabayel is an obvious candidate to be a mandatory challenger for the full WBC world title, one of the belts held by unified champion Oleksandr Usyk.

But that mandatory shot is unlikely to be called in the near future.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told Sky Sports: “We have been very flexible and supportive of the undisputed concept. We fought very hard to get to undisputed [at heavyweight] and we did not impose a mandatory on Fury in order to allow him to fight Usyk and we made it clear that the winner would do the rematch without any mandatory.”

Boxing heavyweight Tyson Fury is teaming up with ex-Manchester United ace Wayne Rooney to co-manage the England squad for Soccer Aid’s charity match.

The former England striker Rooney, aged 39, is lacing up his boots once more to play in the annual game that supports Unicef’s work for children.

Despite announcing his retirement earlier this year, 36 year old Fury hasn’t dismissed the idea of making an appearance on the pitch during the event. Expressing his enthusiasm, Fury remarked: “Tyson Fury: England manager. Who would ever have thought it?” He went on to say, “I have had some big fights in my career and the prospect of leading my England team to victory this June fills me with just as much excitement as any heavyweight fight.”

Frank Warren Didn't Hesitate When Asked If He Expects Tyson Fury To Come Out  Of Retirement Again - Seconds Out

READ: Canelo Finally Admits That There Is One Rival Better Than Him

A devoted Manchester United supporter, Fury added, “Everyone knows that I am a huge Manchester United fan too, so it’s even more special for me that the game is at Old Trafford this year – and I get to manage one of my heroes, Wayne Rooney. How can we lose?” Highlighting the cause, he stated, “The work Unicef does all around the world is so special and so important. I really hope that you can come along and support us this summer.”

Since its inception in 2006 by Unicef UK ambassador Robbie Williams, Soccer Aid has amassed in excess of £106 million for charity. The charity match is set to take place on June 15 at Old Trafford, Manchester.

Joining the managerial ranks are Harry Redknapp and ‘Line Of Duty’ actress Vicky McClure for England, while the star-studded player lineup includes Paddy McGuinness, Gary Neville, Tom Grennan, Sam Thompson, Sam Quek, Steven Bartlett, Sir Mo Farah, and Louis Tomlinson from One Direction.

Ex-Plymouth Argyle manager Rooney expressed his enthusiasm about his return to Soccer Aid, remarking: “I enjoyed the last time I was involved at Soccer Aid so much that when the call came for the 2025 match it was a really easy decision.”

He shared his excitement about teaming up with Tyson Fury, a fellow boxing enthusiast, saying, “I’m a big boxing fan, so to do it alongside Tyson Fury is fantastic. It really sums up how brilliant Soccer Aid is. We have this in common: we’ll both be taking it incredibly seriously.”

Rooney highlighted the charitable aspect of the event, noting, “Obviously it’s great to lace-up the old boots again – and see some old friends – but the cause is the real reason we are doing this.”

He also pledged to entertain for a noble cause: “Unicef needs our help. So, I promise we’ll put on a show for you this June if you buy your tickets to help raise money for Unicef and for children around the world.”

The forthcoming game will feature England players against the Soccer Aid World XI FC team, boasting stars like “Diamond” Livi Sheldon of Gladiator fame, and ex-Italian footballer Leonardo Bonucci.

Top Gear and Take Me Out celebrity McGuinness chimed in with his own excitement: “This year’s Soccer Aid match at Old Trafford is going to be an absolute belter. I genuinely love this event – it’s a highlight of the year for me.”

McGuinness playfully addressed his position on the field, stating, “I’ve been involved for many years now and still can’t believe it has become the world’s biggest charity football match. I don’t run around quite as much as I used to, which is why I play in goal now – I’m representing all the dads out there, which is funny because the game takes places on Father’s Day.”

THE long-overdue Battle of Britain between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua could end up on Netflix, if The Gypsy King comes out of retirement.

Fury seemingly put the final nail in the coffin of the domestic dust-up in January when he announced his fifth retirement, which came on the back of consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk.

Saud boxing supremo Turki Alalshikh, however, is expected to dangle a gargantuan purse in front of the Wythenshawe warrior to coax him out of retirement.

Netflix 'aggressively' targeting huge fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony  Joshua after Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson success | The Sun

JUST IN: Why Turki Alalshikh ‘no longer interested’ in Dmitry Bivol-David Benavidez

And if he’s successful, Netflix will make a play to land the broadcast rights for the mammoth melee.

That’s according to Sports Illustrated, who claim the streaming platform is “aggressively moving into boxing’s big event space” and is eager to land Fury vs Joshua.

Netflix dipped their toes into the boxing world last November for Mike Tyson’s controversial comeback fight against Jake Paul.

Tyson Fury Issues Stark Warning to Anthony Joshua About Heavyweight Rival:  "Stay Away" – RingSide24

And they’ve landed the rights for the eagerly anticipated trilogy fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano on July 11.

Netflix could part-fund Alalshikh’s financial proposal to Fury in order to land the biggest fight in the history of British boxing.

It will likely take a jaw-dropping figure to convince Fury to lace up his gloves again.

The former WBC heavyweight champion is seemingly content with his latest retirement, with Andy Lee recently saying of his recent chats with his cousin: “He seems very happy.

“[He said], ‘Andy I’m not f****d.’ That’s what he said. ‘I couldn’t be f****d. with it.’ He’s very happy.”

AJ, however, refusing to give up hope of settling his decade-long score with Fury, telling IFL TV: “I feel like it’s the best fight [for me].

“People might say [Joseph] Parker, people might say – I don’t know.

“But I think Fury, commercially, is a great fight and it’s a great man’s fight as well. So I think it makes sense.

“You could say it’s been years in the making. But listen, the heavyweight division has been thriving.

“And why I say it’s probably still a great fight is as I said Parker is, for me, a great story of someone that never gives up.

“And the thing is, there is going to be one winner and one loser.

“And there’s going to be bloodshed. And it ain’t gonna be mine.”

Oleksandr Usyk wrote his name into boxing folklore after beating Tyson Fury for the second time last December.

The 38-year-old from Ukraine outpointed ‘The Gypsy King’ over another 12 competitive rounds at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to retain his unified WBC, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles and secure his status as the greatest heavyweight of this generation.

Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the ‘four belt era’ in his initial encounter with Fury last May, although their first bout arguably closer than their rematch on December 21.

Is Oleksandr Usyk really too small for Tyson Fury? He's the same size as a  prime Muhammad Ali | Sporting News United Kingdom

READ: “That’s Not Good”: 2nd Lowest in Boxing, Gervonta Davis Left Disappointed With Ridiculous Boxing Stat

Despite being without a doubt the absolute best heavyweight of this era, he has recently admitted that there is only one heavyweight in the history of the sport that he believes would have gotten the better of him at his very best.

In a round of ‘Prime vs Prime; Winner Stays On’ with Daily Mail Sport, Usyk didn’t hesitate to name the one heavyweight who would defeat him.

“Muhammad Ali.”

Muhammad Ali‘s legacy is undeniable, with many regarding the late-great heavyweight icon as the greatest fighter in boxing’s long and storied history.

‘The Greatest’ enjoyed incredible success throughout his professional career, where he defeated the likes of Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Ken Norton to name a few.

The most successful period of Ali’s career came in the mid-to-late 1970s, where he kept a hold of the undisputed heavyweight championship which he won when he beat Foreman in ‘The Rumble In The Jungle’ back in 1974.

‘The Greatest’ went on to make 10 defences of the titles he won from ‘Big’ George that night, before he was dethroned by Leon Spinks when they fought in February 1978.

Deontay Wilder hit the end of his career following a second loss to Tyson Fury and should never have boxed again.

That’s the view of John Fury, the father of Tyson, who predicted Wilder’s demise after a Fight of the Year battle in October 2021. Fury said Wilder should walk away from the sport and not attempt a comeback.

On the face of Fury’s comments, those views may have been a fair reflection of where Wilder’s career has ended up. However, how the ever-brash John spoke was utterly unforgiving.

Deontay Wilder knocked down.

READ: Reason Behind the Majority Draw in Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach Fight

Wilder suffered back-to-back defeats at the height of his powers after missing out on a fight with Anthony Joshua in 2018. The Bronze Bomber turned to Fury, who was returning from a long absence, as he looked for a new dance partner.

Despite extensive back-and-forth correspondence between Eddie Hearn and Shelly Finkel, Joshua had walked away. It seemed Wilder was firmly a member of the ‘Who Needs Him Club?’ – for the Londoner. Given what happened with Fury over three fights, AJ might have been proven right about taking on Alexander Povetkin instead.

It’s safe to say neither Wilder nor Fury were ever the same again after their three-fight saga.

As talk began to hit boxing socials about a possible fourth fight, which Finkel had exclusively told World Boxing News was a possibility, ex-boxer John was having none of it. He was adamant that Wilder should grace the ring again, especially not against his son.

Tyson tore Wilder apart in February 2020 after surviving a controversial draw in late 2018. And eighteen months after the punishing return, the pair shared eleven captivating rounds in Las Vegas to end the trilogy. That third effort, which saw both boxers hit the canvas more than once, is the only valid reason why a fourth fight would be a solid request from Team Wilder.

However, John spat venom at possibly giving the Tuscaloosa puncher another crack at the WBC heavyweight title.

“He will kill Deontay Wilder. That’s its start and end,” Fury told The Mirror. “I don’t even think Wilder should be boxing anymore. Look at [the third fight with Tyson]. It was all over every time Tyson caught him up the side of the head. He’s a pressure cooker ready to explode, him.

“He’ll get hit the wrong way and won’t come to Wilder. If I were Deontay Wilder, I would seriously consider retiring with my health intact. He’s made millions of dollars. Why risk it? The Gypsy King will kill him stone dead, and I don’t want that. I want the best man to win, go home healthy to their family, and do what’s right.

“It’s a sport at the end of the day. Even though I love it, we train to knock people out, but knocking out and permanent injuries? That’s another matter.

“I wish that on no athlete on no athlete. I’ve got kids and grandkids. I love them all. What I wouldn’t like to happen to mine, I definitely wouldn’t want to happen to other people.”

Instead, Fury embarked on a less-than-stellar run after Wilder. He faced Dillian Whyte, Derek Chisora, and Francis Ngannou as he aimed to keep his faculties intact for later life. The Wilder battles had taken plenty out of both, and they were no longer at the peak of their powers.

Wilder faced Robert Helenius, an opponent he’d spent many rounds sparring and knew he could beat. He did in less than a round, his only win in the five years since suffering his first loss to Fury.

Both have lost their last two in a row, proving that when fighters find that career-defining dance partner, they never come out of it as close to the men they were.

Oleksandr Usyk has stuck his neck on the line with a prediction for who would win in a fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. It is the fight that many British fans want to see and with the prospect of a trilogy clash between Fury and the Ukrainian now evaporated, it looks more likely.

Usyk beat the Gypsy King 116-112 on all three judges’ scorecards on Saturday night to claim his second win of the year over him and retain his WBC, WBO, and WBA heavyweight titles.

And he speaks from a place of authority having also dispatched Joshua twice, beating the Brit on points in 2021 and 2022. A domestic dust-up has been mooted for the best part of a decade, ever since Fury first became champion when he dethroned Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015. But the stars have not aligned thus far with both Fury and AJ reaching the twilight of their careers.

Usyk was asked two questions by Boxing King Media: “Who was a harder overall opponent, and who would be the favourite between the two if they fought?” The Cat said that Fury had been the more difficult opponent across 24 rounds, but believes AJ would win on “maybe points”.

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua
We could find out in 2025, with Wembley Stadium beckoning for what remains arguably the biggest commercial fight in world boxing. Both men would be entering the bout off the back of defeats after Joshua was dominated by Daniel Dubois in September.  In his post-fight press conference, Fury was asked what the future holds.

“You might see me fight again, you might not,” he cryptically answered.

Forget Anthony Joshua. Tyson Fury is looking to beat Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia this weekend, then rematch him in 2025.

Sorry, boxing fans: if Tyson Fury beats Oleksandr Usyk this weekend in Riyadh, we won’t be seeing him fight Anthony Joshua.

Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua has been a white whale for combat sports fans, and its absence is felt even as we get all of these wild heavyweight fights in Saudi Arabia. One of those fights is Usyk vs. Fury 2, the sequel to a fight that saw Usyk become unified heavyweight champion via a split decision win (watch the highlights here).

Tyson Fury is coming into Saturday’s superfight more confident than ever, saying he was fighting at 40% ability in the first bout. Now promising 110%, he intends to clobber Usyk and force a trilogy.

“When I win on Saturday, I think there’s got to be a trilogy next year for sure,” Fury told Saudi network Al Arabiya. “Fighting Usyk on Saturday, and the one after, would be fantastic for me. It’s not revenge, just me smashing his face in. Not in a million years will I walk away after this. All great dance partners have trilogies. Facts.”

As for a fight with Anthony Joshua?

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua

Verified by MonsterInsights