You’ve most likely read it by now – Tyson Fury has retired from boxing. A short announcement came earlier today, and Fury says he is now done. Of course, every boxing site that has run with the story has written the words “again” next to the headline, “Tyson Fury retires.” Why? Because we have simply lost track of the number of times Fury announced he was retiring, only for him to prove his word is basically worthless by coming back to fight again.
Right now, hardly anyone seems to believe Fury really means it this time, but who knows for sure?
Here’s what Fury, 34-2-1(24) said:
“Hi, everybody, I’m going to make this short and sweet. I’d like to announce my retirement from boxing,” he said. “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!”
Fury’s not-too-veiled reference to his having been “robbed” in his recent return fight with Oleksandr Usyk is what his mention of the infamous Yorkshire highwayman is all about, in case you didn’t twig. But, NO, Fury was NOT robbed on December 21st, he was simply outboxed for long periods, this as he was beaten by the clearly better man. But, hey, you didn’t expect Fury to be a great sportsman in losing, did you?
Moving on, as we wonder if Fury will do so in life after boxing (or not, it’s up to you if you do care, after all), where does Fury rank all-time, and will you miss him if he has gone for good? Fury, at one time, had plenty of people suggesting that, yes, he just might be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time. I dare to wager that not as many experts, historians, and fans will feel this way now. Twice Fury was bested by “middleweight rabbit” Usyk, and some say Fury deserved to drop the decision in his fight with MMA star and rank amateur boxer Francis Ngannou.
The big wins over Deontay Wilder earn Fury major points, as does his upset win over Wladimir Klitschko. But is this enough for Fury to have a place alongside proven greats such as Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Lennox Lewis, Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes, George Foreman, and others? I’d say no as to if we will miss Fury. Yes, he gave us some excitement, and Fury was what some people would say was fun and games at pressers and in interviews and the like. Others still will not miss Fury, as he often gave out misleading information, if not flat-out told lies. And Fury gave us some stinkers during his career, too (Tom Schwarz, Derek Chisora III). Also, at just 37 pro fights spread out over 13 years, Fury was not what could be called an overly active fighter. Yes, his battle with mental health played a part here.
Some say Fury “holds fight fans in contempt.” They say he cares not about the value for money he gives or the kind of great show he gives; Fury, these critics say, cares only about himself and the color green. Maybe.
Fury is/was not to everyone’s taste, that’s for sure.
Some fans will miss Fury, others will say good riddance. But again, if you took a vote right now, chances are you’d get more returns that say Fury returns than returns that say he is actually gone for good this time.
