John Fury: Tyson Fury has ‘reached his peak’, and their relationship is ‘damaged’
Tyson Fury’s father has controversially stated that his son is “past his best” as a boxer, while also acknowledging that their relationship is “destroyed.”
Fury is preparing to come out of his latest retirement to face Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. However, this announcement follows his father’s assertion that Fury’s performance is on the decline.
“I believe he’s past his prime,” John told the Daily Mail. “I speak my mind without filters — I express what I observe. I care for him, but there are too many individuals praising him and feeding him falsehoods, elevating him as if he is invincible. He is not, and he hasn’t been for some time.
“Tyson has been absent since the Deontay Wilder bouts; they took a toll on him.”
John also disclosed: “My relationship with Tyson is shattered.”
Fury triumphed over Wilder twice in their legendary trilogy but lost his unbeaten status and his WBC title to Oleksandr Usyk. He also fell short in a rematch with Usyk, which preceded his latest extended hiatus from the sport.
His father maintains that he advised Fury against participating in the initial fight with Usyk.
“I pleaded and prayed with him before the first match,” John stated.
“He had already completed a full training camp, and then he sustained a cut in the final week. He was exhausted from that camp. You cannot simply take three weeks off and then dive straight into another seven weeks — that’s what transpired.
“I suggested he take two weeks off. His Excellency [Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority] was prepared to impose a £10 million ($13m) penalty for withdrawing from the fight, and I advised him to accept it. Allow yourself four months to recover properly, and then we will proceed again. But no, after the fight, what does he do? He immediately puts himself back into another seven or eight-week training camp, already in a weakened state.
“I thought, if we don’t complete this task quickly, he will struggle as the fight progresses.”
John Fury had been left with blood streaming down his face in the days leading up to his son’s first encounter with Usyk, after colliding with a member of the Ukrainian’s team.
Fury’s father was highly critical of Sugarhill Steward, the former champion’s latest trainer.
“I felt like confronting Sugar afterwards,” John remarked.
“He is no Emanuel Steward — he is nothing like him. He is merely a gym cleaner, that is all he has ever been.”
Fury’s father attended his press conference opposite Makhmudov to promote their upcoming fight. He became involved in a verbal exchange with former super-middleweight world champion Carl Froch, even challenging him to compete on his son’s undercard.
Tyson Fury has stated that he will return to the ring against Makhmudov without a trainer in his corner, although this remains unverified.
He has been training in Thailand in preparation for the formidable Russian.
Fury, now 37, may be looking for a third opportunity against Usyk after the heavyweight champion included him on a three-fight list of potential opponents before he retires.
