WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, who defends his title Saturday in London, explained his short-lived retirement on the MMA Hour podcast. “I need this,” said Fury. “I need this more than I ever thought I’d ever need something and I still have a lot to give.”
The 34-year-old Gypsy King said it took him just four months to realize retirement wasn’t for him.
“I was at home. I did everything I wanted to do. I wanted to spend some time with my family. I wanted to be that father, the kids, the school runs and all that, the dog, I wanted to do all that sort of stuff. Then I realized that’s like for normal people and I’m anything but a normal person. I’m like an abnormal alien. I only thrive when I’m in training camp for a fight. I really don’t know what’s going to happen in the future when that is not an option anymore. I’m pretty f**ked up, I think.
“I can’t let go just like most of the great champions throughout history. Look at Floyd Mayweather. The guy’s 45 years old taking f**king fights against YouTubers and stuff because he can’t let it go. It’s a very difficult thing to let it go.”
Good point!!! I still get the itch to knock somebody tf out. Its a difficult feeling to let go.
I appreciate Fury’s candor. Hopefully he will find other interests after boxing. Training fighters or managing/promoting. He’s good for the sport.
I hope fury can thrive post retirement his words make me a little worried but long live the gypsy king
Boxing can be as addictive as opiods or crack, you have to learn how to scale back, and ween yourself off of it. He will surely struggle when he can no longer compete at a high level, it happens to them all.
Tyson Fury’s words reminded me of how perfectly Rocky 4 captured the warrior’s spirit with the masterpiece dialog between Rocky and Creed the night before he fought Drago. Its goes something like this:
Rocky: “Look we gotta face the facts, you may not want to believe it but maybe the show is over.”
Apollo: “That’s easy for you to say you’re still on top. What happens when you’re not on top then what? Where do we go Stallion….”
It goes on to say:
Rocky: “We’re changing we’re turning into regular people.”
Apollo: “Nah Stallion!! Maybe you think you’re changing but you can’t change what you really are….you and me we don’t even have a choice. See we born with a killer instinct that you can’t just turn off and on like some radio. We have to be right in the middle of the action cuz we the warriors and without some challenge without some damn war to fight then the warrior may as well be dead Stallion!”
I hope Fury peacefully finds his transition from boxing.
You have broken the promise you made your wife…you shameful man!
Just kidding!!!!
This dude needs to be boxing to keep his life in balance it seems. And he’s got some years left in him.
I know exactly what he means. I achieved nothing noteworthy in boxing, but had my first amateur fight at 11 and last at 32 (with huge gaps of not boxing in between) 20 years ago. I never fully stopped training after my last fight and at 52, I still think somewhere, somehow, I will compete again. Like I’ll be attending a fight card and they’ll have to pluck a last minute replacement out of the audience and I can just step in- Haha! Boxing is so much fun and scary at the same time. I hate it and love it at the same time. It’s crazy that a 52 year old man thinks he can still box, but I feel so much better after boxing than not. And I repeat…I was never an amateur standout or had aspirtations to turn pro, I just had the fortune of competing in over 20 bouts. Imagaine how guys that made a career out of it and achieved fame and fortune boxing feel about leaving the sport?
I had a college degree and won a regional Golden Gloves title soon after, and right after my victory I was introduced to a local promoter. I relocated to another state shortly thereafter and began my work career. I still was training on and off and had a couple of amateur fights over the years, the coach at the new gym was trying to turn me pro and when he put me in to spar with a local pro, he loudly exclaimed; “this guy is amateur”? I actually went through withdrawal on and off for years over whether I should have turned pro and always felt that warrior spirit was in me, and wondered what could have been, but as my original coach told me; “I can make you a world champion in six years, but you don’t have to do this.” Oh, and at 51, I can still handle myself. Deep inside, I always felt that my brain health was more important to hold onto years down the road than a career in swapping punches, as I would see countless examples of “punch drunk” fighters at various gyms. If it’s in you, its in you.
Eventually he will retire for good and I hope he find a way to enjoy it with his family and friends, but for sure he will announce at least 20 more times that he is retiring before is for real
Very few fighters knew when to let it go, Marciano and Hagler left the sport on time.
Camacho beat Leonard…that is horrible
Boxing is addictive and feeds your soul. Age is only a number
why is he fighting Chisora…yeech !
sadly, Pernell Whitaker was hit by a car..
Tyson Fury is mortal.
Pray for his health.
The irony here is that Tyson Fury has a style which keeps him at a distance from his opponent thanks to his excellent head movement and shoulder rolling so he doesn’t often get hit with big punches…..apart from occasionally against Deontay Wilder! On Saturday, he fights someone who has always defended with his face and whom I really DO fear for in years to come. Chisora is a plough-forward aggressor who gives his all but it’s THIS style that can cause post-retirement health issues…..
“I still have a lot to give”…well yes if we are talking false statements ,feel sorry for me stories and just all around drama!!
tyson fury beat this guy twice this might just be a sparring match not much interest in this fight
I hate to say this, but he’s going to totally struggle when he retires! Unfortunately, he has a wife and kids which will struggle along with him if he doesn’t figure things out!