After a second consecutive loss to Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia with world titles on the line, Tyson Fury was naturally asked about his future in the sport.
Having already retired several times, fans could be forgiven for taking his career announcements with a pinch of salt.
Those announcements came from a position of great power: one of boxing’s biggest draws and an undefeated heavyweight champion.
Now, a Ukrainian he often belittled as an exploited middleweight – who also berated Anthony Joshua for losing twice – has, you guessed it… beaten him twice.
The two-time heavyweight champion stormed out of the ring once his promoter Frank Warren showed him the fight scorecards that read 116-112 across the board from the human judges and 118-112 from the first AI judge.
Backstage, Fury insisted to subsequent media outlets that he had won that fight by at least three rounds.
Tyson Fury has spoken about his future after losing for the second time to Oleksandr Usyk
Fury put in a valiant effort but was outpointed for the second time in seven months.
Usyk proved once and for all that he is the better fighter and Fury now needs to decide if he wants to keep fighting.
Without saying that he was deceived in Saudi Arabia, the British would make it clear.
At the press conference, he was flatly asked what’s next for him after coming up short in fights for the undisputed and then unified title, which marked the first losses of his entire professional career.
“You may see me fight again, or you may not,” he replied cryptically.
But most of the boxing world suspects that we do indeed see him fight once again and finally against Anthony Joshua.
The domestic dispute has been debated for the best part of a decade, since Fury first became champion when he dethroned Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015.
Just over four months later, Joshua became champion in his own right by knocking out Charles Martin in two rounds at the O2 Arena, and the all-British clash seemed the obvious fight to make.
However, fans have yet to see Fury and Joshua resolve their differences inside the ring. That could change soon.
Both men would enter the fight coming off losses after Joshua was dominated by Daniel Dubois in September, but there remains interest in how it would all play out.
A fight with national rival Anthony Joshua could convince Fury to keep fighting
But Joshua is also coming off a loss after being defeated by Daniel Dubois in September.
We could find out in 2025, when Wembley Stadium attracts what remains arguably the biggest commercial fight in world boxing.
Alternatively, Fury could finally leave once and for all. The two-time heavyweight king has climbed to the top of the mountain, beating the likes of Klitschko and Deontay Wilder along the way.
Now, he has a big decision to make: keep fighting or hang up his gloves forever.