The loudmouth father of heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury has claimed his son was injured going into his latest impressive win over Deontay Wilder, and that he believes he should retire and count his millions.
John Fury was speaking to BT Sport, and was asked to give his thoughts on the recent trilogy bout in Las Vegas which the ‘Gypsy King’ won by an 11th-round knockout after being put on the canvas twice himself to retain his WBC and The Ring crowns.
“To be honest, it wasn’t a boxing match, was it?” Fury Sr. began.
“Because Tyson was very badly injured going into that fight.
“He had to have chromosome injections into both elbows, both elbows were numb.
“He’s since had an operation, six hours, all day in hospital having to sort out his elbows.
A trilogy fight for the ages ????
Re-live one of the greatest Heavyweight championships of all-time between @Tyson_Fury & @BronzeBomber. ???? pic.twitter.com/LXGoQPrQm4
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) November 9, 2021
“Because I think he had some bone spurs that he had to get removed – a common thing in sportsmen, especially boxers.
“Yeah, he was handicapped from the beginning,” John Fury reiterated.
Just as he was critical after their first clash – a controversial 2018 draw where yet again Fury was floored – Fury Sr also felt that “the boxing side” of the showdown “went out the window” in the trilogy because he knew his son was not in peak condition and wanted blood.
“When I saw the look in his eyes, I knew he just wanted to destroy, seek and destroy. And that’s what he did,” explained John.
“[It was] exciting for the paying public, probably one of the most exciting heavyweight fights you see. But boxing-wise he didn’t do nothing they trained on, I mean they couldn’t have trained for that, could they?”
"@Tyson_Fury was very badly injured."
"He's since had an operation. Six hours."John Fury opens in a 24-minute interview BT Sport on #FuryWilder3 ????
— Boxing on BT Sport ???? (@BTSportBoxing) November 9, 2021
“To be honest, I think he only had about three and a half weeks to train for it. It was at a low point [with his newborn daughter], he couldn’t be any lower. To go from there to where he did, he’s moving mountains this man,” he claimed on his son’s various battles out of the ring, some of which he listed including sixth child Athena being born in August with breathing problems and requiring time in intensive care.
“He was only 50% of what he should be, because he had too many problems. Covid in July, the problems with his daughter, you can’t get your head straight from that within weeks, but that’s what he did.
“You could see it was ring rust, 20 months out of the ring, to hell with the boxing, it’s not going to work, I’m ring rusty, let’s have it, let’s have a war. And he stood toe to toe with him, and it was a thrilling affair.
The Gypsy King @Tyson_Fury provides us with a positive update on the health of his daughter Athena ???????? pic.twitter.com/4CWtXPmCA8
— MTK Global Boxing (@MTKGlobal) August 16, 2021
That being said, John Fury has his concerns about the effects of such wars long-term.
“But it shortens careers, doesn’t it?” John asked.
“With Tyson being such an exemplary boxer, it hurts me to see him get as much stick. The right hand he took, it was a rookie move, the old Tyson wouldn’t have done that.
“He’ll never be defeated on that floor, he’ll never let the referee count him out, that’s the way of a warrior. [But] he can’t keep going to the well like that.”
If it were up to John Fury, the best course of action would be to call it a day.
“He’ll have a good hard-earned rest now and what he wants to do is up to him,” the father said.
“I said retire, you’ve done enough, he’s won everything, he’s got no more to prove. He’s got millions in the bank, secure for life. There’s more to life than getting your brains rattled.
“[But] He’s his own man, he’ll do what he wants to do.”
And even if he does carry on, John is not impressed by “beaten thing” Anthony Joshua or the recent victor that took the rest of the division’s titles from him recently.
“There will always be an [Oleksandr] Usyk, and somebody else, and somebody else. Tyson’s fought the most dangerous man on the planet three times and he’s beaten him three times.
“Usyk will do nothing with a man like him. He’s a human pit bull terrier. Tyson is in a different league to these heavyweights,” John concluded.
