"Life and death fight" may force Tyson Fury to retire before Oleksandr Usyk bout, says former boxer
George Groves believes Tyson Fury's retirement will be coming sooner than many expect.
'The Gypsy King' is fresh off his return last month against Francis Ngannou. Heading into the bout, Fury was a massive betting favorite and widely expected to defeat 'The Predator'. He was so confident, pre-fight, that he booked a December bout with 'The Cat'.
A battle between Usyk and Fury would crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis. However, due to the Brit's return last month against Ngannou, that fight is now in jeopardy. As many are aware, the PFL star had far more success than many expected.
Francis Ngannou knocked down the British boxer in round three. While Fury was able to get off the canvas, he still was cut open, bruised, and took many big shots. While he walked away with a split-decision win, George Groves believes the bout will have long-lasting implications.
In fact, Groves believes Tyson Fury's next fight won't happen and that he will likely retire. Speaking to Boxing King Media, the former champion opined:
“He might retire. It might be the last time we see him. It’s not a dig. It makes no sense that he has a life and death fight with a cage fighter, who has been boxing for weeks, and that he had to get up off of the floor to win. He clearly wasn’t prepared and maybe he’d done a bit of training, but he hadn’t done any real training, any competitive training, his mindset was not there."
See his comments below (3:00)
Frank Warren squashes talk of Tyson Fury's retirement
According to Frank Warren, Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk is still happening.
Due to the injuries that 'The Gypsy King' suffered against Francis Ngannou last month, his battle with 'The Cat' was instantly postponed. Originally scheduled for December 23, the two were forced off that date.
That date is now expected to be filled by Anthony Joshua vs. Otto Wallin and Deontay Wilder vs. Joseph Parker. That being said, fans shouldn't be worried. Fury isn't going to retire and will face Usyk next year.
Well, that's according to Frank Warren, anyway. During a recent interview with TalkSport, the promoter confirmed that Tyson Fury's next fight will happen in early 2024.
He stated:
"That fight is signed. It was originally expected to take place on December 23. It's been pushed back, and it will take place in the early part of the New Year."