Fury, after consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, announced that he is walking away from the sport in a post from his Instagram account, but Hearn believes that it could merely be a ploy to up the ante for a Fury-Anthony Joshua fight.
“I think if you haven’t got the heart for it anymore and you don’t want to compete anymore, I think retirement is the best option,” Hearn told Matchroom Boxing.
“Disappointing, obviously, for British fight fans, because we’ve got the chance to make the biggest fight in boxing. But if that is the last we see of him, he’s had a great career. I doubt it. But it’s always best to come into retirement to make sure someone pays you to come out of retirement. But if that’s his lot, much respect to him and I wish him all the best.”
Hearn had hoped to make Fury-Joshua this year, after years of back-and-forth between the fighters and their camps. But the promoter said that if Fury was no longer in play for Joshua, the Londoner would target the winner of the February 22 clash between IBF titleholder Daniel Dubois, whom Joshua lost to last December, and Joseph Parker, whom Joshua defeated on points in 2018.
“I just think if I was looking for the right deal, I would go into retirement, too,” Hearn continued. “But I can’t speak on his behalf. I think it’s a natural play. But maybe that’s his lot. I don’t know him well enough to comment. He’s the man to make his own decisions. It’s not the kind of sport you want to play in if your heart’s not in it anymore. And if your heart’s not in it anymore, it’s the right decision for him. Hopefully, it’s not the case and we get to see the AJ fight.”
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