On Monday, Tyson Fury took the whole world by surprise as he announced that he would hang up his gloves for good. The decision came after Fury’s consecutive defeats against Oleksandr Usyk last year. While every fan was fearing the same, everyone hoped that the Gypsy King would stick around enough for at least one more fight and would give them the all-British clash against Anthony Joshua.

However, despite the clear message by the Manchester native, fans are taking this announcement with a pinch of salt. After all, this is not the first time that he has pulled this stunt. He officially announced his first retirement in 2013, followed by another announcement in 2017, and did the same after his victory against Dillian Whyte in 2022. But the 36-year-old backtracked on his statement every single time. Now fans are expecting it to be a similar situation and believe one specific condition would bring back Tyson Fury out of retirement once again.

Tyson Fury’s enigmatic reference

Fury took to his Instagram to share a rather short, crisp, and direct announcement. He declared, “I’d like to announce my retirement from boxing. It’s been a blast. I’ve loved every single minute of it.” For more than a decade, Fury ruled over the heavyweight division for a long time and has faced only two defeats in the process, both against Usyk. It is a career he can be proud of.

He further added, “I’m going to end with this: ‘Dick Turpin wore a mask’. Gob bless everybody, see you on the other side,” adding a sort of mystery to his retirement announcement. Dick Turpin, for those who don’t know, was an infamous 18th-century English highwayman from Essex known for robbing travelers. His tales always depict him wearing a mask. The phrase ‘at least Dick Turpin wore a mask’ has been used popularly by people who feel they have been robbed or cheated.

Whether this statement implies that there is more to his retirement announcement or it was a rebuke of the results of his last two matches against Oleksandr Usyk, no one knows for sure. While the exact intent behind the remark is open to interpretation, fans all over the internet think the former situation is more apt to his announcement.

Fans show their reservation

DAZN Boxing reposted the video on their ‘X’ profile and garnered massive fan reactions immediately. A fan quoted the video and added onto it, “Until a pay day fight is announced…” claiming that Tyson Fury will take back his retirement as soon a big payday arrives. Just like he did back in 2023 to face Francis Ngannou post his retirement announcement in 2022.

Another fan wrote, “Don’t think he’ll actually retire — I bet he’ll fight Joshua once he’s contacted by the Turkish 🥊.” According to the fan, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh will get Fury to retract his statement with a sublime offer and a fight against Anthony Joshua, a fight that the Saudi Royal is very keen on making.

Another fan, thinking the same, wrote, “See you in a few months when you say…I don’t need the money. I will fight whoever and they come back to fight AJ for 100m. It’s all a con,” claiming the announcement to be simply a ploy. According to the fan, Fury will definitely fight AJ in a few months for a record payout.

Another user took a different route and decided to mock Tyson Fury. He wrote, “Another retirement from fury was due. Surely has the record for most retirements posted on social media of all time?” making fun of how the 36-year-old has pulled this stunt more than once.

While many fans claimed that Fury will be back, a user appreciated the Manchester native to retire at the right time. He wrote, “Know when to stop before it’s too late. Nothing but respect for this,” showing his appreciation for Fury’s career.

Only time will tell whether Tyson Fury is serious this time or is it just another ruse. However, he has done it before, and no one will be surprised if he pulls that stunt again to attract a large payout. What do you think about Tyson Fury’s announcement? Let us know your thoughts down below.