Tyson Fury is a name that resonates with anyone with the remotest interest in boxing. The self-proclaimed “Gypsy King” rise through the ranks of boxing’s heavyweight division has been nothing short of remarkable. Fury is unbeaten during his professional career and is the current WBC Heavyweight champion of the world, although he has held all of boxing’s belts at some stage. They say it is tough at the top, but Fury’s rise to the upper echelons of boxing was even more challenging.
Tyson Fury’s Early Life
Tyson Luke Fury was born on August 12, 1988, in the small town of Wythenshawe, Manchester, United Kingdom. Fury was born prematurely and weighed only one pound, leading to doctors giving him a slim chance of survival. He defied the odds and grew into a giant of a man who stands six feet nine inches tall and tips the scales at around 265 pounds on fight night. It’s difficult to believe that Fury once weighed the same as half a bag of sugar in his native England.
Fury comes from a family with a rich boxing history, so stepping into a ring was a mere formality; he began boxing at ten years old. His father, John Fury, was a professional boxer, while some of Fury’s Irish traveler family were well-known in the underground world of bare-knuckle boxing. Fighting is in Fury’s blood, and anyone who needs the latest boxing odds explained to them should know that natural fighters make the best boxers. You can teach someone to become a good boxer, but the very best have an ingrained killer instinct and love to fight.
Tyson Fury’s Amateur Boxing Career
Fury’s towering height made him a formidable opponent, and he quickly rose through the amateur boxing ranks. He won the bronze medal at the 2006 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships but missed out on representing Great Britain at the 2008 Olympics because the selection committee chose to take David Price to Beijing. Fury wanted to represent Ireland, but officials questioned his Irish heritage, and he was denied the opportunity to fight at the Olympics.
In 2008, Fury brushed aside Damien Campbell to become the ABA super-heavyweight champion. Feeling disillusioned with amateur boxing, Fury turned professional later that year, ending his amateur days with 31 wins from 35 fights; 26 of those victories saw Fury knockout his opponent.
Tyson Fury’s Professional Boxing Career
Fury’s first professional fight was against Bela Gyongyosi on December 6, 2008. The Gypsy King won by technical knockout. A series of wins followed before Fury won the English heavyweight title by beating John McDermott on points in September 2009.
The biggest fight of Fury’s fledgling career saw him take on Derek Chisora at Wembley Arena in July 2011. Fury won by unanimous decision to become the British and Commonweight heavyweight champion.
The boxing fraternity knew they had a superstar on their hands when Fury put on an incredible show against the giant Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko. Fury easily won by unanimous decision and got his hands on the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight championship belts.
In October 2016, Fury decided to vacate his belts because he was severely depressed and became a heavy user of alcohol and the illegal drug cocaine. Fury said in an interview, “I can’t deal with it, and the only thing that helps me is when I get drunk out of my mind.”
Many boxing fans thought Fury’s career was over, but as he had done as a newborn, Fury defied the odds again, using every ounce of determination to beat his demons and step back into the squared circle again.
Fury defeated Sefer Seferi in his comeback fight in June 2018, then emerged victoriously against Francesco Pianeta before taking on Deontay Wilder for the WBC title. The Wilder fight ended in a split decision despite Fury easily winning, and a rematch happened two years later. Fury won by technical knockout in the seventh round to win the WBC and the vacant The Ring title.
A third fight with Wilder happened 18 months later, with Fury knocking him out. Victories over Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora, the latter occurring in December 2022, left Fury with a professional record of 33 wins from 34 fights, one draw, and 24 knockouts.
Tyson Fury’s Personal Life
Family is important to Fury, and being a Catholic with Irish Traveler heritage, it is not surprising that he has a large family. Fury is married to his childhood sweetheart, Paris, and the couple have six children together. The Fury family reside in the small seaside town of Morcombe, Lancashire, although Fury has a home in Las Vegas, too.
Fury’s battle with addiction and depression is well documented, as are his brave battles against them. Several mental health and addiction charities applauded Fury for coming out in public, as a man of his size and a world champion served as inspiration for others in his former position.
Tyson Fury’s Estimated Net Worth
The larger-than-life Fury is open and honest about all aspects of his life and never shies away from an interview. Despite being one of boxing’s all-time greats and having earned ridiculous sums in the ring, Fury remains humble and authentic to his roots.
In a recent interview with British newspaper The Sun, Fury revealed he is worth more than £50 million ($60 million) yet still shops at his local supermarket, often buying the store’s own brand products.
Fury’ earning potential is massive. He is fighting former UFC star Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia on October 28, which will see him collect a $50 million purse. He will likely walk away with more than double that incredible sum when he eventually fights reigning champion Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight title.
Conclusion
Fury’s journey from a life-threatened premature baby to becoming one of the greatest boxers ever is inspirational. His determination to survive and then make it to the top is unrivaled. Fury’s glistening amateur career laid the foundations for unparalleled success in professional boxing.
Some have questioned if Fury still wants to fight at the highest level, mainly because of his previous demons and retirements, but anyone who knows boxing knows there is still fire in his belly. Fury will likely retire for good if he manages to broker a fight with Usyk and beat him. What better way to hang up your gloves than by being the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world?