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Boxer Tyson Fury and his father do not appear to have a close, or even friendly, relationship, at least according to the elder Fury's latest public comments.
“My relationship with Tyson is destroyed,” John said during an appearance on Playbook Boxing. The statement marks a stark contrast to the time when John served as a mentor to his son.
John said the rift between father and son stems from Tyson's decision to fight Oleksandr Usyk twice. He also cited Tyson's setback against Deontay Wilder after urging him to turn down those fights.
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John Fury and Tyson Fury react during a press conference before the Tyson Fury-Francis Ngannou boxing match at Boulevard Hall on October 26, 2023, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
“I begged and prayed with him before the first fight,” John said. “He had already gone through a full training camp, and then they cut him in the last week. I was exhausted from that camp. You can't just have three weeks off and then go right into another seven weeks. That's what happened.”
“The Gypsy King” lost consecutive fights to Usyk. He lost by split decision in the first meeting and by unanimous decision in the rematch.
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Fury announced his retirement in January 2025, about a month after the second loss to Usyk.
“Hello everyone, I'm going to make this short and sweet. I would like to announce my retirement from boxing,” Fury said at the time. “It's been a blast, I've loved every minute of it, and I'll end with this: Dick Turpin was wearing a mask. God bless everyone, see you on the other side.”
In January, Fury announced plans to come out of retirement and return to boxing in 2026, but his father believes his best days are behind him.
John Fury, father of Tyson Fury, before the Tyson Fury-Arslanbek Makhmudov press conference at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on February 16, 2026 in London. (Harry Murphy/Getty Images)
“I think he's past his prime,” John said. “I'm a no-filter kind of guy; I say it like I see it. I love him, but there are too many people who pat him on the back and tell him things that aren't true, setting him up like he's invincible. He's not, and hasn't been for a while.
Tyson Fury in the stands at the O2 stadium in London on October 25, 2025. (Steven Paston/PA Images via Getty Images)
“Afterwards I felt like strangling Sugar,” John said, referring to the meetings with Usyk. “He's not Emanuel Steward; he's nothing like him. He's just a gym sweeper. That's all he ever was.”
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Fury is scheduled to face Arslanbek Makhmudov in April.
Fox News' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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