Tyson Fury lost a £1million bet with Piers Morgan but never ponied up the cash (Image: Getty)

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Boxing superstar Tyson Fury never paid the £1million he owed Piers Morgan after losing a big bet.

Morgan, 59, staked the seven-figure sum after Fury, 35, claimed he had retired following his 2022 win over Dillian Whyte. The TV host bet the Wythenshawe native he wouldn’t stay retired for good, and The Gypsy King did indeed continue his career after facing Derek Chisora in a trilogy bout eight months later.

However, Fury – who at the time agreed to pay Morgan his £1m in coins – kept his riches as well as his dignity after an unexpected twist. The Mancunian of course stood to make far more than £1m in future fight earnings by not hanging up his gloves, but it was Morgan who ultimately took the high road.

“No, I let him off,” replied the former Britain’s Got Talent judge when asked about the wager during a recent appearance on Simon Jordan’s Up Front podcast (via the Daily Express). “It was a bit of fun. . .I love Tyson Fury!

“I think he’s a really interesting, thoughtful character. [He’s] very self-aware, very honest about stuff. I don’t think his behaviour recently has been that bad compared with his crazy period, which he came through.”

Jordan and Morgan were discussing Fury’s controversial reaction in the wake of his split-decision loss to Oleksandr Usyk in May. He lost his undefeated record in a sensational fight for the ages, though the majority of fans appeared to agree that Usyk was a deserved victor.

Morgan decided to let Fury off without paying up (Image: Talk TV)
Fury’s controversial remarks included a suggestion that Usyk swayed the judges’ scorecards due to Ukraine’s ongoing invasion by Russia. This was one of many outrageous statements from the heavyweight veteran, who is set to face Usyk again in December.

“I’m always a bit forgiving of boxers, especially when they’re being interviewed after a fight like that,” added Morgan. “One of the greatest fights I’ve ever watched, Usyk an absolute warrior. And when Tyson said the thing about, ‘Well, his country’s at war, of course he’s gonna get [the win].’ I knew he would regret saying that, and he hasn’t repeated it.

“His father shouldn’t be headbutting people, and that’s wrong. But Mike Tyson is someone I’ve interviewed six, seven times – I did his podcast. Amazingly thoughtful, interesting interview. And with Tyson, you can pick out moments in his career [to] paint the picture of an animal!”

Morgan then expressed his admiration for “good friend” Lennox Lewis, who reportedly beat him in 39 of their 40 chess matches. The point served to underscore the intelligence of fighters, whose public images often differ greatly from their true personalities.

Jordan, 56, disagreed with his guest and suggested he “would have made [Fury] pay” the full £1m.