Tyson Fury has revealed that he will not box into his late 50s like Mike Tyson.
Fury is coming off the first loss of his career, losing to Oleksandr Usyk for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship. The defeat cost Fury in becoming the first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999. Fury was almost stopped in round nine after Usyk landed a massive left hand, followed by a flurry of combinations. Fury would have been stopped if it had not been for the referee’s standing eight count.
In his post-fight comments, there was a perception that Fury had been heavily concussed. He wished everyone a happy New Year despite it only being May. While he has indicated his desire to take the rematch, the boxer must think things carefully.
Fury And Tyson
He is 35-years-old and amassed generational wealth. Reports indicated that he earned over $100 million for the Usyk fight. He has also won every title in the heavyweight division. While he did not become undisputed, the rematch may not be for all the belts. The IBF are likely to call the mandatory, meaning Usyk must vacate or be stripped due to the Fury rematch.
As for Mike Tyson, he did become the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion. He secured a win over Tony Tucker in 1987 to win all the belts. He has not had a professional fight since 2005, losing to Kevin McBride. Tyson has boxed since then, facing Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition. He will take on Jake Paul on July 20 in a pro-boxing fight. They will box in an eight-round bout, fighting in two-minute rounds, wearing 14-ounce gloves.
There are safety concerns over the fight as Tyson will enter the ring as a 58-year-old. Paul will be considerably younger at 28 and is also the more active fighter. Fury also faces questions over whether he should take the Usyk rematch, especially following the damage he received in the three Deontay Wilder fights. The Gypsy King addressed some concerns over his longevity, saying he will not box in his fifties.
Fury’s Future
“I can’t see myself hanging around for the next five years. Never mind 20 years. I’ve given a lot to this game. I give all my youth, all my teenage years, all my young adult life. I’ve got to have some time to be me, really. All the things I’ve done and all the accolades and all the money I’ve earned, I’ve got to have time to enjoy it. It’s only a short life, innit? We’re here today, gone tomorrow,” Fury said
The Gypsy King is a father to seven children and was vocal about how long he had been away from his family to prepare for the Usyk fight. There are also suggestions that Fury’s wife, Paris Fury, wanted him to retire after the third Deontay Wilder fight. Fury did announce his retirement after stopping Dillian Whyte. But that was shortlived, as he returned to take the fights with Derek Chisora, Francis Ngannou and Usyk. But with money not being an issue, Fury must decide whether fighting is for him.
This article first appeared on BoxingNews.com and was syndicated with permission.
