Tyson Fury’s career so far: road to undisputed,mental health problems, boxing triumphs and Netflix sensation

Tyson Fury is one of the biggest characters in the world of sport - both in a literal and metaphorical sense.

Standing at 6ft9 inches, it is hard to miss the heavyweight sensation, who has dominated the sport of boxing since his professional debut in 2008. Over the course of 15 years, Fury has established himself as one of the most feared boxers on the planet, whilst simultaneously providing audiences with constant entertainment and even a chart topping Netflix series.

His latest venture sees him take part in a rare crossover boxing bout against the highly renowned UFC powerhouse Francis Ngannou. The fight, dubbed the ‘battle of the baddest’ has divided opinion in the boxing community with some viewing it as an intriguing bout and others such as TalkSport presenter Simon Jordan describing it as distraction from a potential undisputed showdown with fellow boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk. Fury is a fighter who has made headlines throughout his career and here we take a look back at how he established himself as one of the biggest boxing stars of his generation.

When was Tyson Fury born?

Tyson Fury was born three months premature on 12 August 1988. At the time of his birth he weighed one pound.

His father John Fury named him ‘Tyson’ after former world heavyweight Mike Tyson, who is ironically the man training Francis Ngannou for his bout with Fury.

Though Tyson Fury was born in Manchester, he was raised in Styal, Cheshire which is based 11.9 miles away from Manchester. In an interview with The Telegraph in 2020, Fury would mention his love for both Styal and his birthplace of Manchester.

When did Tyson Fury become a professional boxer?

Tyson Fury hails from an Irish Traveller heritage with a long history in boxing and bare knuckle fighting. His father John was a boxer in the 1980s with a record of eight wins, four losses and one draw, according to BoxRec.

Fury’s cousin Andy Lee was the first man from the Travelling Community to win a professional world title in boxing. While others such as Fury’s brother Tommy and cousin Hughie have also pursued careers in the sport.

In his book, Behind The Mask, Fury claims he had little interest in boxing as a child until he reached the age of 10.

Over time he built a strong reputation as an amateur boxer and had a record of 31 wins and four defeats, with one defeat coming against David Price.

Fury was a bright talent who was recognised as a potential prospect for the Olympics in London 2012, but he instead opted to pursue a professional career at the age of 20.

Who has Tyson Fury faced in his professional career?

Tyson Fury enjoyed a rapid rise through the boxing ranks and many of his early fights were televised on Channel 5 on freeview television.

He won the British title within a year of turning pro when he earned a narrow points victory over John McDermott, although some have since questioned the decision by the judges, including McDermott himself.

Fury settled the score with a resounding ninth round stoppage in the rematch a year later and began making a name for himself as a world title contender with impressive victories over Derek Chisora twice, Kevin Johnson and Steve Cunnigham.

By 2015, Fury had established himself as a star studded name in boxing and it was his victory over the long reigning champion Wladmir Klitshcko which made him a world title holder for the first time.

Fury also made the headlines for dressing up as batman in the press conference just days before the fight.

Mental health problems and boxing comeback

Shortly after Fury’s heavily praised victory over Klitchsko he made the shock decision of retiring from the sport entirely in 2016.

Fury remained out of the ring for almost three years and suffered from alcoholism, recreational drug use, extreme weight gain and admitted he even considered taking his own life.

The heavyweight boxer returned to the sport under his former trainer Ben Davision, who helped the boxer to drop from 28 stone back to a healthy fighting weight.

Fury made two comeback fights in 2018 before stepping into the ring to face one of the sport’s most feared fighters in Deontay Wilder.

After a dramatic draw in the first fight against Wilder, Fury would regain the heavyweight title with two incredible knockout victories over the American.

Fury has defended his title against challenger Dillian Whyte while also beating Chisora for a third time in his career. Heading into the Ngannou bout he boasts an unbeaten record of 33 wins and one draw.

How many children does Tyson Fury have?

Tyson Fury met his wife Paris when he was just 17 years old and the pair married in Doncaster, South Yorkshire in 2008. The pair have schildren together: four sons and three daughters.

Fury’s family life is the focus of a chart topping Netflix documentary series released earlier this year called At Home With The Furys.

The series gives audiences a fly-on-the-wall view of Fury’s inner life at his mansion in Morecambe and explores the highs and lows of his mental health.

It also features cameo appearances from the WBC champion’s brother Tommy Fury and his fiance Molly Mae Hague, who both rose to fame as participants in the 2019 edition of Love Island.