Tyson Fury has revealed that the backlash following his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk nearly pushed him into retirement. The British heavyweight lost on points in their undisputed title clash in May, and subsequent criticism of his corner team left him questioning his future in the sport.
Speaking ahead of Saturday's rematch, Fury dismissed suggestions of confusion in his corner, saying: 'There was no confusion at all. You could have Angelo Dundee, Ray Arcel, Emmanuel Steward, everyone in that corner; it means s*** anyway.' He added that he ignored ringside opinions, stating: 'Opinions mean s*** to me.'
However, the Gypsy King admitted the external negativity took its toll. 'That's the only thing for me, what makes me want to retire, is the s*** that comes with boxing. It's not the fight, not the training camps, all of that's easy. It's just like the problems it causes, the rows with people, with families and boxing people – sometimes it's not worth it.'
Fury and Usyk will meet again on 21 December, with the Briton seeking to avenge his first professional defeat. A victory could set up a domestic blockbuster with Anthony Joshua next year, adding further significance to the bout.
Despite the setback, Fury remains confident in his approach. 'I haven't changed anything, and I won't change anything. I had control of the fight for maybe 80 per cent of it. I don't feel I need to change anything,' he insisted.
