Tyson Fury: "I’m boxing because it keeps me mentally happy"
For heavyweight king Tyson Fury there is more to boxing than just money, fame and title belts.
Fury (30-0-1, 21KOs) has been very open about the demons he had to battle following his initial reign as world champion in 2015, with his inspirational story helping millions around the world to deal with their own problems.
The ‘Gypsy King’ reclaimed the throne he never lost in February when he stopped WBC heavyweight titlist Deontay Wilder in the seventh round, and he’s opened up about just how much boxing has helped with his mental health over the last few years.
Fury told Sky Sports: “I’ve achieved more than any active heavyweight alive today. No one can come close to what I’ve achieved. I’m happy with where I am in my career and what I’m doing. If I never have another boxing fight, I’ll be happy. I’ve completed the game.
“If I don’t box again, I’m happy, but if I do box again, then I continue to box. If we get past this thing, which hopefully we will, then we’re going to keep boxing and just keep taking on contenders.
“Klitschko did it until he was 40. A lot of the great champions are continuing, and continuing. I’m not boxing for money, I’m not boxing for fame, I’m not boxing for a belt. I’m boxing because it keeps me mentally happy and I like to do it.
“There’s nothing to prove to anybody. Not one thing to prove at all, but I box now because I love boxing and I’ve been doing it all my life. Why walk away when I’m still only young?
“Hopefully I box until I have a good sit down with all the team and we all decide it’s time to walk away, while I’m on top, and then sail away into the sunset, and then who knows what will happen after that.”
Fury Facts
Born August 12, 1988, in Wythenshawe, Manchester, England
Tyson was born three months premature and his dad, John, was told by doctors there was little chance he would live
He survived the scary start to life and was named after Mike Tyson for being a survivor and natural fighter
He started boxing at 10 and left school at 11 to join his dad and three brothers tarmacking roads
His father, 'Gypsy' John Fury, was a bare-knuckle and unlicensed boxer who also had a professional record of 8-4-1 – one of his losses was to WBO hevyweight world champion Henry Akinwande
Fury has several boxing cousins – Hughie Fury, Andy Lee, Nathan Gorman, Hosea Burton
As an amateur, he won a World Junior Bronze, European Junior Silver, EU Junior Gold, and ABA super-heavyweight title between 2006-2008
He represented England as an amateur but his rival David Price was selected for Team GB at the Beijing 2008 Olympics becaue he held a win over him in the ABA 2006 finals
He tried unsuccessfully to represent Ireland, but there were problems with his eligibility, so he turned pro finishing with an amateur record of 31-4, 26KOs
First heavyweight in history to win every major title – WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO, The Ring Magazine title
Third heavyweight in history to hold the The Ring Magazine title
Ranked as the world's best heavyweight by ESPN, Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and BoxRec as of April 2020
Fury donated his £7million purse from the first fight with Wilder to charities to build homes for the homeless
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