For boxing fans, 2024 was a momentous year with a lot of firsts. But the beginning of 2025 saw a disheartening slump, at least for the glamor division of boxing. The heavyweight throne—once a chaotic contest between giants—found a quieter moment after The Gypsy King decided to retire earlier this year. But if Oleksandr Usyk has anything to say about it, Tyson Fury’s latest “retirement” is more smoke and mirrors than the final curtain.

The undefeated Ukrainian maestro, who has now twice dismantled Fury—first in May 2024 and then again in December 2024—refuses to believe that the 6’9″ Brit has truly hung up his gloves for good. The first bout saw Usyk clinch the undisputed title in a historic clash of styles; the second, a clinical repeat, left Fury’s legacy wobbling. Shortly after the unanimous decision loss in their rematch, the Morecambe native announced he was walking away from the sport, for a fifth time in his career. Predictably, it didn’t take long for speculation to swirl.

But Usyk, who spoke last month to The Stomping Ground ahead of his rematch with Daniel Dubois at Wembley, is not buying it for a second. “I think he’s not retired. I think Tyson continue training, continue boxing, because he’s a great man. Yes, Tyson Fury a lot of speak, blah blah blah blah blah, but he’s a great man,” the Ukrainian southpaw said with his signature blend of humor and honesty.

Usyk’s suspicion isn’t just wishful thinking—it’s grounded in precedent. The British heavyweight, known for his dramatic exits and returns, has walked away from the sport multiple times before, only to charge back into title contention each time. So it’s no wonder that Usyk, arguably the finest technician in the division today, is praying for one final page in this saga. And that saga involves an all-British showdown with his longtime rival Anthony Joshua. When the reporter asked if Usyk is hopeful of the mega-fight happening soon, the unified heavyweight champion replied, “I believe for Jesus, so I pray to say, hey Father, help these two guys organize this fight. It will be a great fight, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua,” Usyk added in the interview.

It’s a bold call—not just to Fury, but indirectly to Anthony Joshua as well, who has been largely absent from the spotlight since suffering a brutal fifth-round stoppage against the current IBF titleholder, Daniel Dubois, last September. Recovering from an elbow injury, the former unified heavyweight champion is expected to return to the ring in the latter half of this year.

For now, Fury remains in silence, a ghost looming over a division he once ruled with charisma and chaos. Meanwhile, Usyk prepares for a rematch against Daniel Dubois this July, a bout that could see him reclaim the undisputed crown and further solidify his place in heavyweight history.

Whether Tyson Fury stays retired or returns for redemption is anybody’s guess. But if there’s one man who won’t let the dream die quietly, it’s the soft-spoken destroyer from Ukraine. And if he gets his wish, the world may yet witness one of the biggest fights the sport has ever seen.

Tyson Fury’s statement on the Anthony Joshua clash

In May, Tyson Fury delivered what many now believe is his final word on a boxing comeback. Speaking candidly during a family getaway in Lake Como, the former WBC heavyweight champion posted a video on Instagram addressing the persistent speculation surrounding his future. “I hear a lot of talk of the Gypsy King returning to boxing, and I ask this question: for what? What would I return for? More boxing belts? Won 22 of them. I’ve been rumped. That’s it,” he said, concluding with a firm sign-off: “I am retired and I am staying retired. I’ve got nothing to prove to anybody, and nothing to return for.”

With that statement, Fury seemed to slam the door shut on a long-hyped all-British megafight with Anthony Joshua—a bout that was teased for years but never materialized. Despite near-misses in 2021 and 2022, contractual chaos and court rulings kept the two heavyweights from ever touching gloves. Now, after back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk and a mixed performance against MMA convert Francis Ngannou, Fury appears more committed than ever to life outside the ring.

Still, whispers of a return persist—especially involving a potential blockbuster against AJ, which many still see as the most marketable and meaningful option for a farewell fight, for both. What do you think? Will the Gypsy King return to boxing ever again or is this it?