Tyson Fury retires: Reflecting on a career filled with achievements

Contents

• Tyson Fury: Who is he
• Best heavyweight in the world
• Usyk vs Fury: Fight of the century
• Is Fury really retiring
• Not just a boxer: Interesting facts about Tyson Fury

Tyson Fury: Who is he

Tyson Fury is 36 years old and was born in Manchester, UK, into a family with Irish roots. His father named him after the famous boxer Mike Tyson, as he himself was involved in boxing.

Thanks to his father's passion for the sport, Tyson Fury started boxing training at a young age, with his uncle, Peter Fury, serving as his mentor.

He competed in amateur boxing for both the Irish and English national teams. At 19, representing England, he won the European Youth Championship, which caught the attention of professional trainers and managers.

Best heavyweight in the world

In 2008, Fury transitioned to professional boxing. He became known for his unique fighting style, which incorporates counterattacking tactics and the ability to fight with both his right and left hands.

Fury earned the nickname Gypsy King in boxing due to his heritage as a descendant of Irish gypsies.

Photo: Fury is known by the Gypsy King nickname (Getty Images)

For many years, he successfully performed in the ring, winning and defending championship belts. In 2011, Fury earned the British and Commonwealth titles, and four years later, he reached the world heavyweight championship belts.

Tyson Fury's titles include:

• WBC World Champion (2020-2024)
• World Champion by IBF (2015), WBA (Super), WBO, IBO (2015-2016), The Ring magazine (2015-2018, 2020-2022)
• European Champion by EBU (2014)
• Boxer of the Year awards (2015, 2020)
• Awards from The Ring magazine for Fight of the Year (2021) and Comeback of the Year (2018)

In addition, Fury was named the best heavyweight in the world by BoxRec three times (2015, 2018, and 2019).

One of Tyson Fury's most significant victories was over Vladimir Klitschko in 2015, when he won the WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring titles, breaking Klitschko's decade-long reign.

Fury also had three spectacular fights with Deontay Wilder. One ended in a draw, while the other two were victories for the Gypsy King, including a technical knockout in February 2020, when he claimed the WBC title.

Overall, Tyson Fury has fought 37 times in the professional ring, with two losses and one draw.

Usyk vs Fury: Fight of the century

Both of Fury's losses occurred in matches against Ukrainian athlete Oleksandr Usyk.

In their first fight in May 2024, the title of the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis was on the line. During the fight, Tyson Fury was knocked down but managed to stay on his feet for all 12 rounds, after which Oleksandr Usyk was declared the winner.

The two met again in a rematch in December 2024.

Photo: Usyk vs Fury fight (Getty Images)

As a result of the title fight for the world heavyweight championships by WBA, WBO, and WBC, Usyk again emerged victorious with a unanimous decision by the judges, scoring 116-112, successfully defending his championship belts.

Is Fury really retiring

After his loss to Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury stated that he "doesn't know" if he will continue boxing.

"I might do, I might not... I'm going home and having time off," the boxer said at a press conference.

However, today, January 13, Fury posted a video on his Instagram page in which he officially announced his retirement.

"Thanks, it's been a blast. Thanks to everyone who helped out along the way! Happy new year. Jesus is king. Now and forever," Tyson wrote in his post.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tyson Fury (@tysonfury)

However, Tyson Fury has announced his retirement before.

In 2015, he was involved in a doping scandal and voluntarily vacated three of his titles. At that time, he stated that he couldn't defend his belts due to depression and drug issues, and soon after, he announced his retirement. However, he made a comeback in 2018 and returned to the professional ring.

The British boxer also stepped away from competition in 2022 but later announced his return to the sport for a fight with fellow Briton Derek Chisora.

Additionally, it is worth noting that the Fury vs Joshua fight had been actively discussed until recently. It was set to take place in 2025 at Wembley Stadium in London.

Not just a boxer: Interesting facts about Tyson Fury

Fury gained fame in the boxing ring not only for his skill but also for his eccentric behavior and bold personas, which helped him become one of the highest-paid athletes. He entered the ring wearing a royal cloak, a Mexican sombrero, and even dressed as Batman.

Beyond boxing, Tyson Fury has tried his hand at various other ventures. He has recorded several songs, including a duet with Don McLean called American Pie, appeared in commercials, and even performed in wrestling.

Fury also released a memoir titled Behind the Mask, in which he shared his journey in sports, his battle with depression, and his triumph over adversity.

Tyson Fury and his wife Paris are considered one of the strongest couples in the United Kingdom.

Photo: Tyson and Paris Fury (Getty Images)

They have been officially married for 15 years and have been together for nearly 20 years. They started dating in their teenage years, right after meeting at a mutual friend's wedding. The couple has seven children.

Sources: Tyson Fury's Instagram page, BoxingScene publications, Wikipedia.