Bob Arum urges Tyson Fury to stay retired despite Anthony Joshua speculation

Esteemed boxing promoter Bob Arum believes Tyson Fury should stick to his boxing retirement plan despite speculation suggesting the Gypsy King could be primed for a money-spinning return to action against domestic foe Anthony Joshua later this year.

Fury has long been mooted for a showdown with fellow Brit Joshua, with Eddie Hearn even revealing in January that a venue had been sourced for a long-awaited domestic heavyweight showdown this summer.

However, just days after that revelation, Fury appeared to pull the plug on any hope of the fight being staged, announcing his 'immediate retirement' from the sport on the back of successive defeats against Oleksandr Usyk.

The Gypsy King has however, reversed his retirement plans on several occasions in the past, most recently ending his six month hiatus to beat Derek Chisora for a third time in 2022, whilst the Morecambe star had also previously 'called time' on his career in 2013, 2016 and 2017, only to make a swift return.

It remains to be seen whether the riches of Turki Alalshikh and the prospect of a victory over long-term rival Joshua are enough to turn Fury's head in the coming months however, although former advisor, and current Top Rank Promoter, Bob Arum hopes the 36-year-old sticks to his guns.

"I think Tyson Fury owes it to himself and his family to remain happily retired - not from life, because I believe he has a lot in front of him, but from boxing," he told Sky Sports on Thursday.

"He is a good communicator and is an entertainer, but I don’t think he should step in the ring again because I think he’s had enough.

"Fortunately, in the last few years of his career he earned so much money his family or himself is never going to want for money.

"I would advise him not to ever go back in the ring, but to make himself useful as a spokesperson because he can communicate extraordinarily well. People are intrigued by him and I think he can do a lot of good."

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Whilst Arum appreciates the British pull of a potential dust-up with AJ, he admits that he doesn't hold the same excitement to witness it as many others in the boxing world.

"As you know, I'm not a Brit, so I'm not as fascinated by an Anthony Joshua v Tyson Fury fight as others may be," the American said.

"So it doesn't move me that he's walking away from boxing and walking away from that fight, but that being said, I really don't know what deep down he's going to do because I don't think he really does himself."

The Top Rank supremo did however reveal that his phone was always open to Fury should the former unified heavyweight champion opt to stage a boxing return.

"If he wanted to come back and wanted Top Rank to be part of the comeback, of course we would be willing to do it," the 93-year-old added

"That's up to him. I mean, he's not an uneducated, stupid kind of guy. Tyson Fury is very smart and very bright.

"It would be somebody who decided of his own volition to come back, and if he wanted us involved, I would happily be involved."

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Mark Mothershaw

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