Former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury announced his retirement on Monday night, supposedly dashing hopes of a blockbuster all-British showdown with rival Anthony Joshua. The more cynical might argue that the fight actually moved a step closer.
Fury was conspicuous by his absence as the boxing world convened at The Ring magazine awards in London on Saturday night. His decision to skip the lavish ceremony made sense though, given he is still licking his wounds after defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in their Riyadh rematch on December 21.
But then came the announcement – a 17-second social media video from the 'Gypsy King' revealing he was hanging up his gloves. “It's been a blast,” he said.
For seasoned Fury observers, this is his third or maybe even fourth retirement.
And with a pension-feathering final bumper payday against Joshua on the horizon, it could certainly be interpreted as a thinly-veiled ploy.
After all, how better to improve your bargaining position for a much anticipated fight than by declaring yourself unavailable?
Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn who, along with his fighter, has been publicly calling for the bout from the moment Usyk's hand was raised in the kingdom last month, is among the sceptics.
“I saw that coming,” said Hearn. “If you ever want to come back and get the max, you have to retire first, haven’t you? Someone then has to bring you out of retirement.
“If that’s the last we see of Tyson Fury then good luck to him. I doubt it personally but whatever he chooses to do, much respect to him. I think he’ll want to fight again, I think he will get bored and he will know the British public want to see the AJ fight.
“My personal belief is we’ll see him in the ring again. If not then good luck to the man. If he wants to retire there’s nothing we can do about it. If he’s up for the fight – the biggest fight in the sport – then great. My gut feeling is we’ll see it.”
It would be fair to say that the majority share Hearn's assessment of the situation.
Fury's capricious and outspoken nature has ensured a career full of contradictory behaviour and inflammatory statements. Some of those remarks have been particularly controversial, although it is worth noting that a man who inflicts and receives head trauma for a living is probably not the best option to provide moral guidance.
It has, however, helped fuel his rivalry with Joshua, who emerged as an altogether more wholesome heavyweight hero.
Their differences are pronounced, whether that be their backgrounds, personalities or fighting style, and as the two most famous heavyweights of the era, it's a source of huge frustration that they've both seemingly lurched into decline without ever fighting.
The politics of boxing, egos and finance have all been factors in keeping them apart, but the flow of Saudi capital into the sport has washed away all such impediments.
Despite an improved performance, Fury was unable to go through the gears as he lost to Usyk for a second time and looked like a fighter scarred by his battles in and out of the ring.
Joshua was knocked out heavily by Daniel Dubois last September in a fashion that suggests he should also consider retirement.
The end is clearly near for two fighters who have done everything in their careers except fight each other.
And while a 2025 showdown would lack the relevance and glamour of them fighting for the heavyweight title at their peak, it would still rank among the biggest fights that can be made in the sport.
With the financial backing of Riyadh Season there has never been a better time to be a heavyweight, and Fury has always been confident of beating Joshua, describing himself as his rival's “kryptonite”.
The lure of one final lucrative bout will surely prove too strong – despite what Fury has said this week.
England squad
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Coady, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Harry Maguire, Tyrone Mings, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Ben White
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount, Jordan Henderson, Declan Rice, James Ward-Prowse
Forwards: Tammy Abraham, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Raheem Sterling
More from our neighbourhood series:
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MATCH INFO
Barcelona 4 (Suarez 27', Vidal 32', Dembele 35', Messi 78')
Sevilla 0
Red cards: Ronald Araujo, Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona)
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
if you go
The flights
Etihad flies direct from Abu Dhabi to San Francisco from Dh5,760 return including taxes.
The car
Etihad Guest members get a 10 per cent worldwide discount when booking with Hertz, as well as earning miles on their rentals (more at www.hertz.com/etihad). A week's car hire costs from Dh1,500 including taxes.
The hotels
Along the route, Motel 6 (www.motel6.com) offers good value and comfort, with rooms from $55 (Dh202) per night including taxes. In Portland, the Jupiter Hotel (https://jupiterhotel.com/) has rooms from $165 (Dh606) per night including taxes. The Society Hotel https://thesocietyhotel.com/ has rooms from $130 (Dh478) per night including taxes.
More info
To keep up with constant developments in Portland, visit www.travelportland.com
Film: In Syria
Dir: Philippe Van Leeuw
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Bo Abboud, Mohsen Abbas and Juliette Navis
Verdict: Four stars
BOSH!'s pantry essentials
Nutritional yeast
This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.
Seeds
"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."
Umami flavours
"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".
Onions and garlic
"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."
Your grain of choice
Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Profile
Company: Libra Project
Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware
Launch year: 2017
Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time
Sector: Renewable energy
Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Omania, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m
Winner: Brehaan, Richard Mullen, Ana Mendez
6pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Craving, Connor Beasley, Simon Crisford
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Prep (PA) Dh100,000 2,200m
Winner: Rmmas, Tadhg O’Shea, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
Winner: Dahess D’Arabie, Connor Beasley, Helal Al Alawi
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Fertile De Croate, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel
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Messi at the Copa America
2007 – lost 3-0 to Brazil in the final
2011 – lost to Uruguay on penalties in the quarter-finals
2015 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
2016 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
