Tyson Fury has announced his retirement from boxing with immediate effect.

The announcement comes just two days after Eddie Hearn revealed Wembley had been reserved for Fury to fight Anthony Joshua in the summer.

It is not the first time Fury has announced his retirement, as in April 2022, after beating Dillian Whyte, the Briton said he would be hanging up his gloves.

The 36-year-old returned six months later to fight Derek Chisora in a trilogy bout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“I’d like to announce my retirement from boxing,” said Fury in a video post on Instagram.

“It’s been a blast. I have loved every single minute of it and I’m going to end with this – Dick Turpin wore a mask!”

Fury’s promoter Frank Warren told Sky Sports: “Good luck to him, God bless him. I’m thrilled for him. I’ve been saying since his last fight whatever he chooses to do I support him 100 per cent.

“He’s done unbelievably great things for British boxing, world boxing. He’s been involved in some of the most exciting fights, certainly in the second coming, it’s been exciting fights every one of them.

“I’m delighted for him. I hope he and his family enjoy the fruits of his labour.”

Last week, Joshua, who has not fought since being knocked out by Daniel Dubois in September, posted a picture of Fury on his Instagram with the message “looking for this guy”.

Eddie Hearn told Matchroom that Fury’s decision to retire is “disappointing for British fight fans” but “doubts” his career is over and hopes the Joshua-Fury fight can still happen.

Asked whether the Joshua fight could tempt Fury out of retirement, Warren said: “It’s up to him. If he wants to he will. If doesn’t, he doesn’t. He doesn’t have to prove anything to anybody.”

Fury was beaten by unanimous decision in December in his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.

He speculated as to whether he’d even box again after the fight, stating: “I might do, I might not. I’m going home and having time off.”

Fury is a two-time heavyweight world champion, winning his first title when he defeated Wladimir Klitschko in 2015.

After a three-year break, he returned to the ring and went on to beat Deontay Wilder in their second fight in 2020 to become WBC champion, before defending his title against Wilder again in 2021, then against Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora in 2022.

He overcame a big scare against Francis Ngannou in 2023, before losing twice to Usyk last year.

– Sky Sports