Tyson Fury Says He’s Retiring for His Wife After Uppercut Helped Him Keep Heavyweight Title

Tyson Fury celebrates victory after the WBC World Heavyweight Title Fight between Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium on April 23, 2022 in London, England.

Julian Finney/Getty Tyson Fury

Tyson Fury is preparing to hang up his gloves.

The British boxer, 33, reiterated his intent to retire on Saturday in an interview after retaining his heavyweight title with a knockout against Dillian Whyte in a fight at Wembley Stadium in London.

Fury sealed the deal with a sizzling right uppercut that sent Whyte, 34, tumbling to the ground late in Round 6. Video shows Whyte was barely able to stand on his own after taking the brutal blow.

When asked if he would return from the ring after his latest victory, Fury confirmed that he was instead calling it a career.

“I promised my lovely wife Paris of 14 years that after the [Deyonte] Wilder III fight, that would be it — and I meant it,” he said while still in the ring in a clip shared on Twitter by BT Sport, which Fury retweeted to his page.

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Fury, who called himself “one of the greatest heavyweights of all time,” said he felt compelled to fight at Wembley, after the Wilder fight last year, upon receiving the invitation to defend his title in the Saturday bout.

Now, he said, “I have to be a man of my word, and I think this might be the final curtain for the Gypsy King. And what a way to go out!”

Fury made similar comments at his post-fight news conference, noting he was “happy” with his decision to retire, though he was not ruling out exhibition fights or a WWE appearance.

“I’m going to go out with my wife, me kids. I’ve spent a lot of time on the road, I’ve been away a long time. I’ve fulfilled everything I’ve wanted to fulfill, and I’m going to retire as the only second heavyweight champion after Rocky Marciano to retire undefeated,” he said.

Tyson Fury celebrates victory with their wife Paris Fury after the WBC World Heavyweight Title Fight between Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium on April 23, 2022 in London, England.

Julian Finney/Getty Tyson Fury (right) with his wife, Paris

Fury’s wife, Paris, told BT Sport that she “would like him to come out” of the profession “now” and believes her husband “has nothing more to prove,” CNN reported.

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“If he had anything left to do, I would say ‘Yeah Tyson, you do it.’ But he has nothing to prove,” Paris told the outlet. “So unless he really wants to box on, and if he’s just doing it for whatever money, fame, he doesn’t need that. He’s the most famous man on the planet tonight.”

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She continued, “For Tyson to keep boxing, it just seems for one reason and I know in my heart, I think the only reason that Tyson will come back is for the unification fight.”

During his post-fight news conference, Fury said he had “done everything asked of me” and believed he “definitely” deserved to “make a choice where I think it benefits me most” regarding his career.

Tyson Fury at MGM Grand Garden Arena on October 6, 2021

Ethan Miller/Getty Tyson Fury

After the fight, Fury’s promoter Frank Warren said he would support Fury should he officially opt to retire, noting “if [Saturday’s fight] is his last fight, he has gone out on such a high,” per CNN.

“I’ve given 20 years to boxing, amateur and professional,” Fury explained during his news conference, according to ESPN. “I’ve had me brains knocked out. I’ve been put down, I’ve been rocked, I’ve been cut. I’ve had tough fights, I’ve had draws, I’ve had wins. I’ve boxed all over the world. How much blood can you get out of a stone?”

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During his in-ring interview, Fury thanked his fans and the U.K. for the support throughout his career: “I’m overwhelmed … and I cannot believe that my 94,000 countrymen and women come here tonight to see me perform.”

“I just want to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much to every single person that bought a ticket in here tonight or stayed up later to watch it on TV,” he added.