Tyson Fury: Gypsy King hits back at body critics ahead of long-awaited boxing return - ‘I've never been any different’
ByTNT UK
Published 09/01/2026 at 23:06 GMT
Former world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury has hit back at criticism of his weight as he continues his return to professional boxing. Fury recently announced his return to the sport and says he has received comments about his body and looking out of shape. But the 37-year-old believes he will return to the ring "nice and loose and fast" as he prepares to fight in 2026.
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Former world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury has hit back at criticism of his weight as he continues his return to professional boxing.
Fury, 37, announced earlier this month he is ending his most recent retirement and plans to fight sometime this year.
In an Instagram video posted from his training camp in Thailand on Friday, Fury said he has had comments saying he is "looking a bit hench, chubby, fat" as he works to prepare for a return to the ring.
And the British fighter pushed back at those remarks, saying that he’s never had any issues having success in the ring despite having a "fat belly".
"Welcome to my world, I've never been any different," Fury said. "I beat everybody with a fat belly, never been any different, never made any odds before. Why should it make any odds today?
"I'm weighing about 20 stone at the moment, I'll probably get down to around under 19 stone for the comeback, nice and loose and fast. I'm really looking forward to it."
Fury last fought in December 2024, when he lost his rematch against Oleksandr Usyk, having lost in their first fight earlier in that year as the Ukrainian became the first four-belt undisputed champion at the weight.
Fury announced his retirement from boxing in January 2025, but after several previous retirement announcements, there continued to be speculation that he would return to the ring, with Queensberry promoter Frank Warren open that he had anticipated an eventual return for his fighter.
That speculation intensified as Fury was recorded training in Thailand with South African fighter Kevin Lerena.
Following his announcement on Instagram that he would indeed make a return to boxing, Fury acknowledged that it would take some hard work to get back to his peak fighting abilities.
"I've been away for a while, but I'm back now, I had a year out and if I box in the first quarter [of 2026], I could be up to 16 months out of the ring," he added.
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"That's a long time for a man who is 37 years old, and 38 this year. Let's see if I've still got it."
Fury has a record of 34 wins, two loss and one draw in boxing, with those two defeats coming in his most recent bouts against Usyk.
Since announcing his comeback, speculation has ramped up as to who Fury might face when he steps back into the ring.
Fury has often said he would pursue a trilogy fight with Usyk and an all-British fight against Anthony Joshua has also been long discussed.
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If not Usyk or Joshua, then current WBO heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley could be a potential opponent, given he is also represented by promoter Warren’s Queensberry outfit.
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