ISTANBUL, Turkey – “What would I be coming back for?” said Tyson Fury when asked the question on everyone's lips. “I've won every belt, haven't I? Does the love of the sport overthrow my health? There you go then. I think you've answered your own question there.”
Fury has been retired since losing for a second time to Oleksandr Usyk back in December. The contest was close, as was their first encounter, but on both occasions Fury was on the wrong end of a decision.
Seemingly angered by the judges’ decision, Fury walked away from the sport, but on account of his history of “retirements”, many expect him to return.
“You've got to worry about your health, because your health is your wealth,” said Fury.
It is something to consider after the battles Fury has been involved in over the years. The three wars with Deontay Wilder spring to mind and the heavy hits he took from the fierce puncher could catch up with him later in life. “Oh, we'll find out, won't we? It's inevitable, I believe,” Fury said.
Talk quickly turned back to the decision in December and Fury showed how much the fight still clearly plays on his mind.
“Listen, my last fight was a clear fucking victory for the ‘Gypsy King’,” he said. “Anyone in boxing can see that. A complete load of dog shit, yeah? Political, whatever you want to call it. I did an interview, and just left the ring. As soon as that thing was announced, I was like, ‘I accept it, I'm a man, I don't make excuses. On with the next thing.’
“Got paid, got laid, got out of there. Happy days. Went home to my family, and now I'm happy. I'm at home in Morecambe. I train twice a day, I go out, I can have a beer when I want. I go eat what I want. I stay out late. I can do what the fuck I want. You know why? Because I've earned the right to.”
Although Fury claims he is happily retired, it became clear that the former heavyweight champion would jump at the chance to again fight the only man to better him a professional boxing ring. Usyk will face Daniel Dubois for the undisputed heavyweight championship on July 19 in London, and Fury wants a third battle to take place in the UK and under his terms.
“If I was going to come back, I'd come back for Usyk, but I want a fair result in England,” Fury said. “That would be the one I want. That would be the fight I'd want next. I've only won 50 times and each time, I never ever see a way for him to win, but I know they can do what they want. They say it's fucking Tuesday, it's Tuesday. I've always said I never give a fuck about anybody's opinion until it fucked up my fucking life.”
Despite his ill feeling towards recent decisions, Fury’s love for boxing has never faded.
“It's a great sport and everything I've got I owe to the game of boxing and I'm very appreciative,” Fury said. “I've had a love-hate relationship with boxing for going on 25 years. Like all great relationships, it's got to have ups and downs but the inevitable in my game is you make your bed, you lie in it and, yeah, I'm still very much in love with the game. I train regularly, I do all of the above.”
