LONDON (LifeSiteNews) — After winning with a resounding technical knockout Saturday, undisputed heavyweight world champion boxer Tyson Fury dedicated his victory to “my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” and signaled he may be hanging up his boxing gloves to keep a promise to his wife.
In the impressive April 23 slugfest at Wembley Stadium in London before a crowd of 94,000, Fury (also known as the “Gypsy King”) secured his World Boxing Council (WBC) title by taking out heavyweight challenger Dillian Whyte with a skillful sixth-round uppercut.
“First of all, I want to say, as always, I dedicate this to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” Fury, 33, told reporters after the fight.
“He gave me the victory again tonight, and I give Him the glory,” the boxing champ continued. “In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, I won this fight in this country tonight, in my lovely, my own, my England.”
Fury added that his victory over Whyte may be the last in his Hall of Fame career, noting that he’d made a promise to his wife he would bring his often-epic boxing career to a close.
“I have to be a man of my word, and I think this might be the final curtain for the Gypsy King, and what a way to go out,” he said.
Meanwhile, Saturday night’s fight was not the first time the heavyweight slugger has spoken out about his faith and convictions.
LifeSiteNews reported in October that Fury had dedicated his victory over challenger Deontay Wilder to “my Lord and Savior,” saying Jesus “rose me to my feet tonight to give Him the glory.”
Fury has often talked about his faith throughout his career, saying boxing is his way of using his God-given abilities.
In a 2015 interview, the larger-than-life fighter told Catholic News Live, “I pray for my opponents before fights, praying that they are strong and healthy and put up a good fight, but I’m doing a job like everyone else.”
“It tells us in the Bible we need to work, and boxing is just a sport at the end of the day,” he said.