Boxing fans worldwide were caught unawares as Tyson Fury, former world heavyweight champion, announced his retirement from the sport.

The 36-year-old has decided to bow out from professional boxing, leaving behind a career defined by incredible victories and dramatic comebacks.

According to the BBC, Fury, who has enjoyed two spells as heavyweight champion, last fought in December when he lost his rematch against WBA, WBC, and WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk.

The announcement by the British delivers a significant blow to the world of boxing which seems to be running out of big-name players in the sport.

The news comes just days after speculation about a potential summer bout against fellow British boxing star Anthony Joshua.

Fury’s professional record stands at an impressive 34 wins, two losses, and one draw. His larger-than-life personality and technical brilliance made him a global superstar, and his retirement leaves a void in the heavyweight division.

Fury surprised the boxing world when he posted on social media his retirement from the sport that has brought him so much fame in nearly two decades.

"Hi everybody, I'm going to make this short and sweet," Fury said.

"I'd like to announce my retirement from boxing, it has been a blast, I've loved every single minute of it and I'm going to end with this; Dck Turpin wore a mask."

In 2015, Fury surprised long-time world champion Wladimir Klitschko by winning the WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight titles.

After spending two-and-a-half years out of the ring to address mental health concerns, the 36-year-old boxer returned to action in 2018 and became a two-time champion by defeating Deontay Wilder to win the WBC title in 2020.

Anthony Joshua had been eyeing a monumental showdown with Fury, a fight that could have reignited his career and thrilled fans worldwide.

Promoter Eddie Hearn recently revealed that Wembley Stadium had been reserved for the summer, sparking rumours of a blockbuster Fury-Joshua clash.

For Joshua, this fight represented a golden opportunity to regain prominence after setbacks against Oleksandr Usyk and a steady rebuilding phase.

Joshua's victory against his fellow Briton would have solidified his legacy and restored his stature in the sport, but Fury's unexpected retirement has upset those ambitions, forcing the former Olympic champion to choose alternative opponents for his next bout.

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Fury has claimed he won the fight despite losing via a unanimous decision to Oleksandr Usyk in their second bout in Saudi Arabia.

Fury has refused to accept that he has now registered back-to-back losses to the sensational Ukrainian fighter.

The Gypsy King described Usyk's triumph as a "Christmas gift" from all three judges, who all scored the fight 116-112 in favour of the champion.

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Source: Legit.ng