Tyson Fury shocked the boxing world in January by announcing his sudden retirement from the sport following back-to-back defeats at the hands of Oleksandr Usyk in 2024.
Fury has retired from boxing on numerous prior occasions and always made comebacks, sometimes just several months later. So naturally there was significant doubt about the legitimacy of Fury’s latest retirement from key figures in boxing, including Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn, who promotes Anthony Joshua. But one man who is closer to Fury than most is his promoter, Queenberry’s Frank Warren, who gave an update on Fury’s status on Uncrowned and DAZN’s “Ariel X Ade” show.
“At the moment, it’s false [that Fury will ever fight again],” Warren said.
“I say that genuinely because Tyson is a very unique guy, and this is how it is. I’ve spoken to him a couple of times, I’ve not bothered him, I’ve certainly not spoken to him about fighting again. If he does, that’s got to be his choice. He’s a very, very wealthy guy, he’s made some serious money. He doesn’t need to fight [for money]. If he does fight, it will be because he’s got a fighting heart. And for me, that’s [going] to be the thing with him. Can he walk away from the sport? He says he has.”
Fury has spoken openly throughout the years about the importance boxing carries his day-to-day life because of the routine and sense of purpose that it gives him. The Brit has had well-documented mental health struggles in the past, as well as other issues outside of the ring such as substance abuse, which were heightened during his two-year hiatus from the sport from 2016-17.
“At this moment in time, he said to me he’s really in a good place and he’s very happy, and that for me is very important — that he is happy, he’s in a good place,” Warren said.
“He’s been a great, great [boxer], one of the best two heavyweights of the 21st century. I just want him now to enjoy his family and his life. He’s had a hard year as well, last year, [with] three training camps, one after another. One fight got cancelled because he got the cut [over the] eye. He needs now to go and enjoy his life and enjoy being with his family, which is what he’s doing.”
If Fury is actually done, the British boxing audience will be disappointed that it never got to see a Fury vs. Joshua fight after years of build-up and anticipation. Twenty years down the line, this could be looked back at as another Lennox Lewis vs. Riddick Bowe or Mike Tyson vs. George Foreman type of situation, where people ask why the obvious fight never happened. Regardless, Fury’s legacy in the sport is firmly intact even without a win over his biggest rival.
British boxing’s two leading forces at heavyweight over the past decade, Fury and Joshua, both suffered back-to-back defeats to Usyk, but Warren believes that a rematch with yet another British fighter, IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois, is the next big rematch for Usyk.
When Usyk and Dubois fought in 2023 in Poland, there was significant controversy on the night. Dubois floored Usyk with a right hand in the fifth round that was debatably ruled as a low blow. Usyk was given several minutes to recover and eventually knocked Dubois out in the ninth to retain his unified titles.
In the days and weeks afterward, the lawfulness of the punch dominated the boxing conversation, with Dubois’ promoter, Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, filing an official appeal with the WBA contesting the referee’s decision — although nothing came of it.
“[Usyk vs. Dubois 2] for me has got to be the most natural rematch of anywhere in boxing,” Warren said. “It was controversial — the last fight. We had that controversial moment, and he definitely let Oleksandr off [the hook]. And the four-minute break and all the controversy, as you just said, that went around it.
“Looking at Daniel, how he’s matured over his last three fights, [Feb. 22 vs. Joseph Parker] being his fourth fight since he fought against Usyk. And you look at the change in him, as I say, he has matured mentally, he’s shown what he’s all about. Every fight except for this fight that he’s been in, his last four fights, he’s gone in as an underdog. Bookmakers, public, everybody had him being the underdog, and he’s proved everybody wrong in the last three fights.”
“He wants to wipe that slate clean with Usyk, and it’s a natural, natural fight, there’s no doubt about it. It’s probably the biggest fight [in boxing], and I believe, providing he comes through [on Feb. 22], I believe if we [make the fight], that is going to be a mega-fight. No doubt about that one.”
Dubois has to first get past the former champion, New Zealand’s Parker, in an IBF title defense on Feb. 22, which is expected to be another tough fight for the Brit on paper. Parker is on his own run of form, a six-fight win streak that includes upsets over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang.
Warren also discussed several other topics on the show.
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford
This week, Ring Magazine — an outlet owned by Turki Alalshikh — reported that a fight between four-division world champions Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Terence Crawford is on the verge of being finalized for September at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The fight would be organized by Riyadh Season, the promotional entity operated by Alalshikh and Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.
“If it’s done, I mean, as a boxing fan, I can’t wait to see that fight. It’s a fabulous fight,” Warren said. “If anyone can get it done, His Excellency [Alalshikh] is the man. He’s been a massive fan of both of those guys. I knew when we sat down — or when we sit down and talk about up-and-coming shows — that’s one he’s always wanted, he’s always said he’d love to see.”
“I’m pretty positive it will happen, fingers crossed they get that over the line,” Warren added. “What a fight that will be, and a great fight for American boxing. You need great fights there. They need a massive big fight. If it does go on in Vegas, which I think is the home for it — with [the] greatest respect to everywhere else — that is something special. That’s a burster, that fight.”
Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season has received some criticism for taking fights outside of their natural location, and by doing so, potentially stunting the growth of the sport in key markets, such as the US and the UK. As a result, Alalshikh has started to stage fights outside of Saudi Arabia either through Riyadh Season or his personal venture, Ring Magazine.
Riyadh Season embarked outside of Riyadh twice in 2024, taking Joshua vs. Dubois to London and Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov to Los Angeles. Alalshikh has announced two more non-Saudi shows in 2025: Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn in the UK and a Ryan Garcia vs. Devin Haney doubleheader in the US. Alvarez vs. Crawford is another fight he plans to make in the US, which is pivotal for the market.
Queensberry’s arrival on DAZN
Starting on April 1, all Queensberry shows will be televised on DAZN worldwide as part of a new deal Warren announced in November. Warren confirmed to Uncrowned that there will be a press conference on Feb. 10 to announce his initial slate of DAZN shows. Sources close to the situation have informed Uncrowned that one of the fights expected to be confirmed is Anthony Cacace vs. Leigh Wood.
Cacace vacated his IBF super featherweight title on Friday rather than defend it against his mandatory challenger, Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez, so he could pursue bigger fights.
“He’s vacated because, what is he? He’s 36 now. Late in his career, he’s shown what he’s all about,” Warren said. “He had a tremendous win, winning that title against Joe Cordina [in May]. That was a fabulous win, he was a massive underdog in that, and then he went on and successfully defended his title again [in September]. He’s looking to make some serious money.
“We feel we’ve got a fight that we hopefully will be in a position to announce officially. I think everybody’s going to love the fight. It’s a really, really competitive fight, it’s going to be a great fight.”
Uncrowned understands that Queensberry will launch its DAZN deal with a show on April 5 that will feature at least two significant fights in the heavyweight division.
Moses Itauma and Delicious Orie
Warren hopes that Moses Itauma, Uncrowned’s 2024 Prospect of the Year, will also have his next fight announced during Queensberry’s Feb. 10 press conference.
“We’re just trying to get a few things sorted out, and fingers crossed, we’ll get them over the line and we’ll announce it,” Warren said of Itauma. “He’ll fight in the next three months, no doubt about that. He’ll be fighting then, and I’m looking forward to seeing him back in the ring. He’s a tremendous fighter. You look at him, [he only turned] 20 last month. Everybody talks about the next big fighter, the one that they think is going to be the next big thing — they mention him.”
Another fighter that could be a major player at heavyweight in the next few years is Warren’s latest signing, 2024 British Olympian Delicious Orie. Orie announced promotional terms with Queensberry on Tuesday after contemplating a move to the WWE.
“When we were talking to him,” Warren said, “he was quite keen or thinking of considering [WWE]. I know he had some discussions about it. But thankfully, George [Warren], my son, who’s the CEO of Queensberry, he managed to talk him around. So he’s signed. He was very unlucky in the Olympics, wasn’t he? There were great expectations of him, and it was a pretty close fight. But anyway, that’s gone and past, it’s up to him now to turn that around. He’s had great experience as an amateur.”
