Eddie Hearn doubts Tyson Fury’s retirement is serious and will take time. Hearn says Fury retired to “make sure somebody pays you to come out of retirement.” In other words, the ‘Gypsy King’ is acting so he can get a huge mega-million offer to come out of retirement so he can face Anthony Joshua in ‘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 as he hoped to fight Anthony Joshua twice in 2025. With Fury’s retirement, Joshua doesn’t have much of a chance.
There’s the winner of Daniel Dubois vs. Joseph Parker and then whatever Hearn can pull off. Dubois could retire Joshua if the two meet again. But the money AJ would get from that fight is nowhere near what he would get fighting Fury twice.
“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 Tyson Fury announcing his retirement.
“Obviously I’m disappointed for British fight fans because we have the opportunity to make the biggest fight in boxing. If that’s the last we see of him, he’s had a great career.
“I doubt it, but it was always to retire to make sure someone would pay you to come out of retirement. But if that’s his destiny, kudos to him and I wish him the best,” Hearn said of Fury.
“I just think I would have retired too if I had been looking for a real job, but I can’t speak for him. I would do just that. I think it’s a natural game, but maybe that’s part of him. I don’t know him well enough to comment, really,” Hearn said.
Fury may be sulking over the loss, questioning himself after re-watching his loss to Oleksandr Usyk on December 21. He must have seen his performance by now and realized that he lost. Fury was already depressed and may not be feeling happy after being dominated for the second time by the talented Usyk.
With the vast wealth Fury has amassed fighting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, he could feel he doesn’t want to move on. He has to know if he fights Joshua, there’s a good chance he’ll knock him out because he doesn’t 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.
Is Fury afraid?
Living with the memory of his knockout loss to AJ would be excruciating for Fury and no amount of money could make him forget what happened. Some people can let bad experiences roll over and forget about them. I don’t think Tyson is that kind of guy. He is more like someone who would reflect on the past, questioning himself and being tormented by regrets like many older people do.
“He’s a man who makes his own decisions and that’s not the type of sport you want to be in if you’re not in it anymore,” Hearn said.
“If his heart isn’t in it anymore, it’s the right decision for him. Hopefully that’s not the case and we get to see AJ fight. If not, I wish him the best. The winner of Joseph Parker vs. Dubois,” Hearn said when asked what the next fight could be for Anthony Joshua if Fury were to retire.
As you can see, Hearn is thinking about himself, not Fury’s 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 the punch anymore. Three bouts with Deontay Wilder did him some good. Yes, it’s great that Fury won two of them, but the shame is there. Deontay knocked him some chips in those fights.
Eddie Hear. reacts to Tyson Fury’s retirement 🗣️
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— Boxing on TNT Sports (@boxingontnt) January 13, 2025
