Tyson Fury’s father John Fury has claimed that their relationship is “completely destroyed”, with the 60-year-old also dismissing his son’s abilities in a sensational interview.
Fury is set to box Arslanbek Makhmudov on 11 April, as the British heavyweight ends his fifth career retirement. Just one month ago, Fury’s father sat next to him on stage at a press conference for the fight – the same day he stormed around the venue shouting at ex-champion Carl Froch – but he will not be at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the bout itself.
He said as much on Thursday in a bombshell interview with Playbook Boxing, powered by Betway, as he suggested the pair’s relationship was beyond saving.
“I think he’s past his best,” John said of his 37-year-old son, a former two-time world heavyweight champion. “I love my son, but there’s too many people patting him on the back and telling him he’s Tarzan, when he’s not Tarzan. He’s been gone, Tyson, since the Deontay Wilder fights.”
Fury climbed off the canvas twice to draw with Wilder in 2018, dominated the American in 2020, then was knocked down again before stopping him for a second time in 2021.
“Makhmudov, this is a problem,” John continued. “I’m the first one to say it, because all them out there, they don’t pay enough attention to details. It’s not what I’d have done.
“I’ve told him 20 times about it, but he’s got his people around him what he thinks are his friends again, but [he’s] easily led. But that’s another matter.”
John further played down Tyson’s current skillset, referencing his back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2024 – Tyson’s most-recent fights and the first defeats of his professional career.
While John said he believed Tyson should have been awarded a win in the first fight, he said of the rematch: “I think he let Usyk do it [win it] in the last round.
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“I watched the Usyk fight last night, power weren’t there. The moves was there, but after six or seven rounds he was fading quick […] There’s no two-phased attacks, there’s nothing, there’s no angles; when there is an angle, it’s laboured. The legs ain’t there.”
John also criticised Tyson’s team for the upcoming Makhmudov fight, saying: “B******s, the lot of it. Same squad, same bulls*** […] He can’t do the blood-and-guts training anymore, so he’s going through the motions with these idiots.
“If you can’t show your father respect when it matters, then just carry on. I don’t need you. He’s taken their word over mine, and that’s eaten me up more than I can explain.
“I felt like strangling Sugar[hill Steward, coach] after [the Usyk rematch]. I wanted him out of my corner. Going in there with a southpaw like that…”
Opening up on his relationship with Tyson specifically, John said: “My relationship with Tyson is destroyed. Boxing destroyed it completely. No, [it can’t be repaired]. It’s his own fault.”
Speaking on finances, John continued: “I’ll say it on camera: I’ve never taken £10 off him in my life, and I never will. I don’t want Tyson’s money, and I don’t need Tyson’s money.
“Whatever he’s got, good luck to him, but don’t forget who built his story when he was a kid. He didn’t build it himself, did he? Me, his father.”
John became particularly emotional at one point, saying: “I was 30 seconds away from asking for a break there. I haven’t really expressed these emotions before, but they’re strong and they’re there.”
The Independent has approached a representative of Tyson Fury for comment.
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