Tyson Fury at peace with retirement - "The only things we truly have is moments in time"
Tyson Fury successfully defended his heavyweight titles against Dillian Whyte at the Wembley Arena on April 23, 2022. He then immediately announced his retirement from boxing.
Since the fight, Fury has maintained that he will remain retired. He recently took to Instagram to post a picture of his family alongside a message demonstrating that he is at peace with his decision. Fury wrote in the caption:
'The only things we truly have is moments in time, how will u spend yours?'
Tyson Fury knocked out Dillian Whyte in the sixth round of their fight with a sharp uppercut. It was a sudden end to a somewhat slow-paced bout, which saw Fury maintain control throughout. Whyte seemed unable to close the distance and land combinations on the taller man.
Fury has expressed interest in returning to the ring for exhibition bouts or even participating in professional wrestling in the WWE, which he has done in the past.
Tyson Fury could go out on top
Though many have expressed a desire for Tyson Fury to step back into the ring, he now has the rare opportunity to step away from the fight game on top.
He is the current Lineal Champion of the world and has an undefeated record of 32-0-1. If he keeps his word and stays out of the ring, Fury will make a great exit from the sport.
It is rare for heavyweight world champions to make a clean break with the ring. In 2003, Lennox Lewis retired after his TKO victory over Vitali Klitschko. The previous year, he knocked out Mike Tyson.
Klitschko himself made a clean break nine years later, stepping away from the ring in 2012 after 13 consecutive wins. His brother, Wladimir, retired after two consecutive losses to Fury and Anthony Joshua in 2015 and 2017, respectively.
Fury's namesake, Mike Tyson, famously boxed for too long, ending his career with losses to opponents who were far below his own caliber.
Muhammad Ali, one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, had a similar fate. His prolonged career likely resulted in permanent damage, with his defeat to Larry Holmes in 1980 coming after the onset of Ali's struggle with Parkinson's disease.