Tyson Fury has claimed he has retired from boxing in a video post on social media.

The 36-year-old former world heavyweight champion lost his second fight with current title holder Oleksandr Usyk last month in Saudi Arabia.

Fury said in a cryptic video message posted on Instagram: “Hi everybody, I’m going to make this short and sweet.

“God bless everybody, see you on the other side.”

Fury had said he had no intention of retiring after a unanimous points defeat to Usyk in December – his second loss to the Ukrainian, who beat the Briton by split decision at the same Riyadh venue the previous May.

Boxing fans had been hoping Fury would finally fight fellow Briton Anthony Joshua this year.

Fury previously announced his intention to quit the sport after he had retained his WBC belt by stopping Dillian Whyte at Wembley in 2022.

The ‘Gypsy King’ said at the time: “I’ve been in this game 20 years, I’m 34 in a few months.

“I said the third (Deontay) Wilder fight would be my last, but I felt I owed the fans one last homecoming. This is definitely the end of the Gypsy King and I went out with a bang.”

Fury returned to fight Derek Chisora the following December and in October 2023 defeated French MMA fighter Francis Ngannou, the latter bout his last win before facing Usyk.

The Manchester-born boxer first became world champion when defeating Wladimir Klitschko for the WBA and WBO belts in Germany by a unanimous decision in 2015.

Fury announced he had relinquished his belts in 2016 as he struggled with his mental health, while he was also charged with a doping offence by the UK’s anti-doping body that year and suspended from boxing.

He strenuously denied the doping charges, claiming elevated nandrolone levels were the result of eating uncastrated wild boar and after successfully reapplying for his boxing licence, Fury announced his comeback in early 2018.

His bid to reclaim the world title in the first of his trilogy of fights with Deontay Wilder ended in a draw, but Fury went on to win the WBC belt by stopping the American in their second fight in 2020.

He defended his WBC title with a second win against Wilder and retained it with victories over Whyte and Chisora.

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.”

Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said he doubted Fury’s career was over and when asked if an all-British showdown could persuade him to change his mind, added: “It’s up to him.

“If he wants to, he will. If he doesn’t, he doesn’t. He doesn’t have to prove anything to anybody.”