Tyson Fury will likely only be tempted to delay his retirement from boxing for a unification title bout, his wife Paris said, after the WBC heavyweight world champion retained his belt with a stunning stoppage of Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night.
Fury, who landed a right uppercut to deck Whyte in the sixth round before referee Mark Lyson waved off the bout, said in the post-fight interview and press conference that he would be sticking to his promise to Paris to retire.
Fury had said in the build-up to the fight that he had promised Paris he would hang up his gloves after his third bout with Deontay Wilder. However, the prospect of a homecoming fight in front of more than 90,000 fans in London proved too alluring to turn down.
Paris said her husband might return for an undisputed world title fight against the winner of Anthony Joshua's rematch with Oleksandr Usyk. Usyk beat Joshua in September to claim the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts.
"I would like him to come out now. He has nothing more to prove," Paris told BT Sport. "If he had anything left to do, I would say 'Yeah Tyson, you do it'. But he has nothing to prove.
"So unless he really wants to box on, and if he's just doing for whatever money, fame, he doesn't need that. He's the most famous man on the planet tonight.
"For Tyson to keep boxing, it just seems for one reason and I know in my heart, I think the only reason that Tyson will come back is for the unification fight."
After Saturday's victory, Fury stretched his unbeaten record to 32 wins and a draw, with 23 knockouts.
"I've said what I've said and I'm happy with my decision [to retire]," Fury said. "I'm going to go home and spend some time with my wife and kids. I've spent a lot of time on the road, I've fulfilled everything I've ever wanted to fulfil. I'm going to retire as only the second undefeated heavyweight in history after Rocky Marciano."
Pressed again if this was in fact his final fight, Fury remained steadfast but insisted he wasn't done with fighting entirely, expressing an interest in money-spinning exhibition fights, similar to former undefeated boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr, and a crossover bout with UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.
"I definitely think so," he said. "I will not rule out exhibitions, for sure. Get some of that Floyd Mayweather money. I want to have fun. As you saw tonight, I'm an entertainer, it's what I do best. Big Francis Ngannou is on my hit list in an exhibition fight.
"However he wants it, in a cage, in a ring, with boxing gloves or UFC gloves, we can make it happen. He is a monster of a guy and so am I, so it will be a clash of the titans."
