Eddie Hearn doubts that Tyson Fury’s retirement will be serious and lasting. Hearn says Fury retired to “make sure someone pays you to come out of retirement.” In other words, “the Gyspy King” is faking it so he can get a massive $1 million offer to come out of retirement so he can face Anthony Joshua in the “Battle of Britain.”
It’s not good for promoter Hearn that former WBC heavyweight champion Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs) announced his retirement today because he was hoping to fight Anthony Joshua twice in 2025. With Fury retiring, Joshua doesn’t have great options.
There’s the winner of Daniel Dubois vs. Joseph Parker, and then whatever Hearn can muster. Dubois could retire Joshua if these two meet again. But the money AJ would get from this fight is nowhere near what he would get from fighting Fury twice.
“A natural game”
“I think if you don’t have the heart for it anymore and you don’t want to compete, I think retirement is the best option,” Eddie Hearn told TNT Sports, reacting to the retirement announcement. Tyson Fury.
“I’m obviously disappointed for British fight fans because we have the chance to make the biggest fight in boxing. If this is the last time we see him, he had a great career.
“I doubt it, but the whole point of retiring has always been about making sure someone is paying you to come out of retirement. But if it’s his lot, all respect to him and I wish him all the best,” Hearn said of Fury.
“I just think if I was looking for the right deal I would retire too, but I can’t speak for him. That’s exactly what I would do. I think it’s a natural game, but maybe that’s his lot. I don’t know him well enough to comment, really,” Hearn said.
Fury may be sulking over defeat, questioning himself after reviewing his loss to Oleksandr Usyk on December 21. He must have seen his performance now and realized that he had lost. Fury has been depressed before and it’s possible he won’t feel happy after being dominated a second time by the talented Usyk.
With the enormous fortune Fury has accumulated from his fights in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, it might feel like he doesn’t want to continue. He must know that if he fights Joshua, there is a high chance that he will be knocked out by him because he does not have the power to stop him like Daniel Dubois did. If Fury has to go 12 rounds to beat Joshua, there’s a good chance he won’t make it.
Is Fury scared?
Experiencing the memories of a knockout loss to AJ would be haunting for Fury, and no amount of money could make him forget what happened. Some people can let bad experiences pass them by and forget them. I don’t think Tyson is that type of person. He seems more like someone who would dwell on the past, question himself, and be tortured by regret as many aging people do.
“It’s the man who makes his own decisions and it’s not the kind of sport you want to play if your heart is no longer in it,” Hearn said.
“If his heart is no longer in it, this is the right decision for him. Hopefully that’s not the case and we get to see AJ’s fight. Otherwise, I wish him all the best. The winner of Joseph Parker vs. Dubois,” Hearn said when asked what the next fight Anthony Joshua might make is if Fury remains retired.
As you can see, Hearn is thinking about himself and not the Fury situation. He is just a tool to help Joshua increase his wealth. I don’t blame Fury for retiring, because the way he was injured in both Usyk fights showed he couldn’t take another punch. The three contests with Deontay Wilder did something to him. Yes, it’s admirable that Fury won two, but the damage is there. Deontay made him lose a few chips during these fights.
Eddie Hear. reacts to Tyson Fury’s retirement 🗣️
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– Boxing on TNT Sports (@boxingontnt) January 13, 2025
