Tyson Fury has been urged by his close friend Ricky Hatton to retire from boxing NOW as he has 'got nothing left to prove'.
The Gypsy King came out trumps against Deontay Wilder in their trilogy fight in early October to hand the American his second career defeat and defend his WBC heavyweight title.
Now, Fury is left in limbo, as he waits for the winner of Anthony Joshua's rematch with Oleksandr Usyk, while mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte is currently recovering from a shoulder injury he sustained in the build-up to his fight with Otto Wallin.
But Hatton believes he has served his time as he encouraged him to hang up his gloves for good after another glorious night.
"Tyson’s proved himself," Hatton told the Daily Mail.
"He’s had that trilogy with Wilder, he beat [Wladimir] Klitschko.
"Tyson’s not like AJ; he’s suffered from depression, drinks and drugs and all he now wants is the defining fights and to get out the game.
"Let’s have it right, if Tyson wants to retire he’s got nothing more to prove. The only thing that Tyson wants to know in his own mind, just like AJ does, is who the best out of he and AJ is.
"But Tyson can’t wait another two years while he fights him and he fights him, he’ll want to be in and out now.
"He deserves it as well. I’m sure his wife Paris doesn’t want to see him stood there getting knocked on his arse every five minutes. Tyson’s done his job now as far as I’m concerned.
"It’s a shame if the AJ fight doesn’t happen, and if it does it has to happen quickly, because Tyson’s ready for hanging up his gloves now. As his friend, I want him to hang them up – he’s got nothing left to prove."
Asked about when he could fight next, Fury's promoter Bob Arum said: "Frank Warren is going to Manchester to meet Fury to work out a date. It could be March or April, but no later than April.
"A date that would be appealing to us in the US, even if the fight took place in the UK, would be the middle of April because we have a college basketball tournament called March Madness which the country goes crazy for. It is tough to find a date for a big fight [during March Madness].
"We will figure out who and when Tyson will fight next."
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