Paris Fury has re-issued a plea to husband Tyson Fury to retire after his two fights with Oleksandr Usyk.
Fury called time on his boxing career after defending his WBC title against Dillian Whyte in April 2022, but elected to return in a bid to secure fights with Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk.
He will now face Usyk for the undisputed world heavyweight titles on May 18, having defied his wife’s urge for him to call it quits as he goes in search of huge paydays and boxing legacy.
Paris has since repeated her stance on her husband’s career, insisting she would love him to return home to his seven children in Morecambe.
Speaking before Fury’s win over Francis Ngannou in October 2023: “I wanted him to retire a few years ago. He isn’t doing it.
“You saw it well documented on the [Netflix] documentary that he didn’t enjoy it. He doesn’t like being retired.
“But I’m hoping after Usyk that’s the end of the fight. I’m hoping that’s the end of it.
“What more could he prove? What more can he do?”
Paris, who has been an integral part of his life since he began his boxing career, shared the WBC champions’ opinion that it was best he hung up his gloves after achieving all he wanted in the sport.
She has regularly opened up about her fears for his physical health, with the gladiatorial sport carrying real risks especially when you are fighting the likes of Deontay Wilder in a trilogy.
What Is An Undisputed World Champion?
In boxing, an undisputed world champion is someone who wins all of the four major world title belts in their division – WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO.
Fury currently has the WBC while Usyk holds the WBA, IBF and WBO. Therefore, the winner will hold all four belts as undisputed king.
The last man to hold all the belts in the division was Lennox Lewis when he beat Evander Holyfield to add his WBA and IBF titles to the WBC belt before what is now known as the ‘four-belt era’ with the WBO being recognised from 2004.
In their first fight, in Los Angeles in 2018, she even feared the worst when he was knocked down.
“The first thought was that he’s dead,” she told IFL TV.
“Seriously, because when he didn’t get up, and I know Tyson will always get up if he can, then [the] first few seconds I thought he’s hurt – he’s really hurt.”
After declaring a temporary halt to his ring outings, he later documented his return to family life, and was even pictured taking out the bins with trainer Sugar Hill Steward.
The pair featured on a Netflix documentary ‘At Home With The Furys’ which perfectly showed the heavyweight king’ struggles with a return to normal life.
The rigours of everyday life, including the school run and house chores, were a far cry from the all-action career in boxing, which include dedicated training camps.
Fury then elected to come out of retirement and fight Derek Chisora in a ‘comeback’ fight which he won in routine fashion in October 2022.
He then fought ex-UFC champion Ngannou in a tough outing in Saudi Arabia, but was rewarded finally with a huge shot for all the marbles this year.
An immediate rematch did not bring a good reaction from his wife Paris, who is not entirely impressed with his decisions to continue fighting.
And she will have been even more concerned after he suggested that he has drawn up a ten-fight plan, albeit in jest as he prepares for his biggest test yet.
He said: “So I’ll map out my next ten fights then let’s go. Usyk twice, then we will have Anthony Joshua twice if he doesn’t get beaten in the meantime.
“I might chuck a Daniel Dubois in if he is back up there or a Joe Joyce. Joe Parker chuck him in there.
“Maybe Deontay Wilder if he gets back in, a fourth fight with him. Then a European like an Agit Kabayel fight.”
One thing is certain, though, and that is a fight with Anthony Joshua on the cards.
Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh said the winner of Fury vs Usyk 2 will fight Joshua in early 2025.
For now, though, his thoughts are occupied with getting paid and joining the undisputed heavyweight club, with Paris by his side in Riyadh.
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News Summary:
- Tyson Fury made wife Paris happy with retirement but swapped taking the bins out to fight Oleksandr Usyk
- Check all news and articles from the latest Boxing updates.