Former World Champion Insists Tyson Fury’s Retirement Is Promotional Tactic

Former world champion George Groves believes that Tyson Fury may come out of retirement to face Anthony Joshua in an exciting heavyweight matchup.

Despite announcing his retirement following consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk, Groves believes that this could be more of a negotiation strategy than a definitive decision.

Groves shared his thoughts with SunSport, saying, “I think it’s a negotiation tactic, possibly a mind game aimed at Anthony Joshua. While there may be a genuine part of him that feels like retiring, I don’t believe he truly wants to step away from the sport.”

Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, echoed Groves’ views, suggesting that Fury’s retirement announcement might serve a strategic purpose.

“To maximize future opportunities, sometimes you need to announce retirement first. It sets the stage for a comeback,” Hearn explained in an interview with iFL TV. “I believe Fury will eventually want to fight again, especially knowing that the British fans are eager for the showdown with AJ.”

Joshua, who recently visited Nigeria and met with President Bola Tinubu, has expressed his ambition for the highly-anticipated all-British clash in 2025. “I’ve faced ups and downs, but I’m committed to my goal of becoming a three-time world champion and fighting Tyson Fury in 2025,” Joshua told reporters in Lagos.

Note that Tyson Fury’s latest announcement marks his third retirement, having stepped away in 2018 and again in 2022 before returning to beat Derek Chisora. He retires with an impressive record of 34 wins and two losses, both to Usyk, and notably, he has never faced a knockout defeat in his career.