Frank Warren has revealed his surprise following Tyson Fury’s latest retirement announcement.
The head of Queensberry has long looked after the 34-year-old when he fights on UK soil, while Bob Arum of Top Rank has his US affairs in hand.
Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs) announced his departure from the sport on Friday, his birthday, and followed that up by relinquishing the Ring Magazine belt that he held.
‘The Gypsy King’ is still the WBC champion in the sport’s premier division and Mauricio Sulaiman, the WBC president, has given the former unified king until August 26 to confirm his retirement in writing before the title status is considered.
But Warren told talkSPORT that Fury’s u-turn, from hiring featherweight fighter Isaac Lowe as his new coach and supposedly agreeing a trilogy clash with old pal Derek Chisora before the 38-year-old “moved the goalposts”, was somewhat unexpected.
Warren, who staged Fury’s April defence of the WBC title which was a sixth-round stoppage win over number one-ranked contender Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium in London, said:
“At the end of the day, if that’s what he wants to do, that’s his right to do it.
“He was actually looking forward to fighting last week; he was actually talking about fighting, but that’s how he feels at the moment.
“If that’s how he feels, that’s how it is; we’ve all got to support what he’s doing.”
After Fury released the aforementioned Ring Magazine title, it was revealed that it would be at stake at the Jeddah Superdome in Saudi Arabia on Saturday as Anthony Joshua once again faces former cruiserweight undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Sky Sports Box Office will air the second Usyk-Joshua fight in the UK and Ireland after paying a staggering £23million for the rights.
And Warren believes we could yet see Fury in the ring again, potentially against the winner of the fight later this week.
“I know he’s frustrated and the 20th – it’s a big, big fight.
“All eyes will be on it. Whoever wins that fight, everyone will want to see him fight Tyson.
“If Tyson wants to do it, he will. If he doesn’t, he won’t.“