Looking back at Tyson Fury’s two London victories either side of his 2022 ‘retirement’

    By
    Jonathan Thomas
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    Tyson Fury is set to face the biggest fight of his career in the coming months, despite having announced his retirement back in 2022. The Gypsy King has made a habit of short-lived retirements throughout his career.

    Fury has on several occasions announced that his involvement in the ring had come to an end. But now he has two fights scheduled for the imminent future, and he has certainly not finished writing his legacy just yet.

    Before the massive fight against Oleksandr Usyk, he will face boxing debutant Francis Ngannou who left the UFC in January. In the Tyson Fury v Francis Ngannou odds, he is a huge favourite at 1/12 – his first step into the ring of 2023 is expected to be a comfortable one.

    A 100% record come the end of 2023 could award Fury with an unparalleled status in the history of the heavyweight division. Last year Fury managed just that with two wins in London on either side of his brief retirement.

    The capital provided the venue for what was an apparent ending to a great career, as well as his surprise return later in the year.

    But how did those events go, and did they perhaps contribute to Fury’s potential to achieve greater things in the near future?

    Dillian Whyte at Wembley

    The fight against Dillian Whyte in April of 2023 was seen as the final tale in the Tyson Fury story. It took place at Wembley Stadium and turned out to be a remarkably one-sided affair in favour of the Gypsy King.

    Fury hounded Whyte from the offset and knocked him down several times, he won all of the opening six rounds unanimously before a brutal uppercut forced a stoppage. He retained his WBC heavyweight title and looked set to bow out of the sport in the perfect way imaginable.

    Fury had seemingly fought his final battle in his home nation after five straight bouts in the United States. But he was evidently still incredibly sharp and showed no visible signs that immediate retirement was a necessity.

    Derek Chisora at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

    Fury remained committed to his retirement for several months. But in typical fashion, he was tempted to renew past rivalries due to online feuds. He conveniently announced his return in the summer before two other fighters could be lined up to compete for his WBC belt.

    In August of 2022, a December fight against Derek Chisora was confirmed to be held at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Within an eight-month period, London hosted Fury’s final fight before retirement and his stunning return.

    Fury was chasing the rare feat of having fought against two different opponents on three separate occasions. He managed to do just that, and like his trilogy with Wilder, he remained unbeaten against Chisora.

    The Gypsy King relentlessly tore his opponent apart for the best part of 10 rounds before the referee eventually called a stoppage.

    Ultimately, the duo of London fights certainly benefited Fury greatly. The Chisora matchup showed the world that he was still more than capable of continuing to dominate the heavyweight division.

    The motivation to return and fight Chisora has also turned out to be a catalyst for the Gypsy King to potentially make more significant history. If the pen was not put to paper for the Tottenham fight, then Fury may not have ended up in the position he is now.

    After retiring and subsequently returning to the sport in London last year, Fury will look to mount his biggest hurdle yet in the coming months – beating Usyk to become the undisputed champion of the world.