Is now the time for Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk to hang up their gloves?
Tris Dixon: I don’t think either has anything left to prove, but the access to the Saudi riches they are able to attain will likely see neither walk away. Usyk made it clear, too, that he has no intention of hanging his gloves up. His legacy is solidified, and there’s no one he could beat at present that would add to it.
Kieran Mulvaney: Usyk seems in no hurry to quit, and nor should he, even though he has nothing to prove. Fury will have to make the mental adjustment to being a supporting actor, and I’m not sure he can do that very well. Equally, however, he has an apparent desperate desire to be in the limelight, and many around him have stressed how miserable Fury is when he isn’t boxing, so I expect Fury to continue, too. Besides, although I thought the scorecards were accurate and Usyk was a clear winner, Fury was competitive and he’d probably start as the favorite against any other heavyweight – even though I think there are signs of a decline.
Lucas Ketelle: They both should, but they won’t. They are now more important and more viable than ever. They can make more money and be seen by more people than ever. They worked their whole lives to create this legacy, and now is the time when they reap the rewards. It felt as though both fighters had lost a step in the rematch, but Usyk is regarded as the best heavyweight since Lennox Lewis. Fury is a character who people are fascinated to see what he will do next.
Matt Christie: Yes, absolutely. Both are filthy rich and have nothing left to prove. For every single boxer there comes a moment when the perfect goodbye presents itself and, for Usyk, this is surely it. Walk away now and his legacy is beyond secure; stick around and the likelier it becomes that he’ll come unstuck. But with the money that can be earned in the heavyweight division, either retiring now would be a surprise.
Declan Warrington: Usyk absolutely should. There’s nothing left for him to achieve as an active fighter – all that’s left is to bow out at the very top. Fury, perhaps, ought to finally fight Anthony Joshua and strive to enter retirement off the back of a victory over his longest-term rival. Fury showed signs of decline in both fights with Usyk; there’s also the reality that a fight with Joshua isn’t as appealing as it once would have been but, win, lose or draw, his place in the International Boxing Hall of Fame, like Usyk’s, is secure.
Bernard Neequaye: I think Usyk still has something more to offer to the boxing world and must wait for at least a year to return. People may say he has nothing more to prove, having become undisputed champion at cruiserweight and heavyweight, but a rematch with Daniel Dubois would be an interesting fight. Fury, on the other hand, is not the same fighter that we knew two to three years ago and must call it quits to avoid destroying his legacy. However, Fury can decide to give his British fans a memorable fight with countryman Anthony Joshua before signing off. Whatever happens, Fury would be remembered by history for his impact and contribution in heavyweight and the fistic sport at large.
Elliot Worsell: Of the two, I think Fury will find it trickier to keep going and discover the motivation to proceed as the second-best heavyweight in the world. That is a position he always wanted to avoid, and losing twice to the same man makes it almost impossible now to change this reality. One could easily see him coming unstuck next time in a fight he should, on paper, easily win. Usyk, on the other hand, seems the safer bet in terms of retaining his drive, this despite the dearth of challengers and the fact he has reached the very peak of his achievements.
Owen Lewis: Both probably should, though the fact that they continue to fight at an incredibly high level is hard to ignore. Usyk is number one, pound-for-pound, on most lists and I actually don’t think it’s crazy to have Fury on that list either, despite going 0-2 since his disastrous performance against Francis Ngannou. The difference for me is that Fury retains an obvious possible opponent in Joshua while Usyk has already conquered every vital antagonist. I love Joseph Parker, but if Usyk beats him, it’s not making the top three rows of his resume.
Jason Langendorf: Usyk is starting to show a bit of wear on the treads, but he would likely extend his career and remain a force in the immediate future at cruiserweight. He seems to enjoy and miss his family when duty calls him away, but that’s obviously his call. For Fury, retirement is the prudent choice. If he’s fighting for money? That’s another matter. He’s still bankable and would have no shortage of viable (and relatively unthreatening) opponents from which to choose.
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