Life started in a hurry, with Tyson Fury being born three-months prematurely, on 12th August 1988, weighing a mere 1lb in weight. A fighter from his first breath, Tyson comes from an Irish traveller family and grew up in the Wythenshawe area of Manchester, England. It quickly became apparent that, much the same as his father, John, and the generations that came before him, he had an aptitude for boxing.

From a long bloodline of fighters, Tyson was trained and molded from an early age into the boxer you see today. At ten, he began boxing more formally, with his father never far away from his side. It didn’t take long for him to soar towards international amateur level, becoming EU Junior Champion in May 2007 and ABA national champion in 2008, before turning pro later that year at the age of 20.

In December 2008, Tyson Fury entered the pro ranks with a first round TKO win against Hungarian, Bela Gyongyosi, before racking up another six successive knockout wins in 2009. Fury’s unorthodox style both in terms of technique, range and character was grabbing the attention of the world and after winning the English, British and Commonwealth titles, then vacating to win the Irish title, before progressing through the ranks until that sought-after world title shot was finally in reach.

2015 would be the year that Tyson’s life took a turn that the boxing world were not expecting, in more ways than one. November saw him travel to Dusseldorf, focused and confident, with Team Fury in no doubt that this was Tyson’s moment to dethrone the 11-year unbeaten Wladimir Klitschko, to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. After a build up of trash-talk and mind games, a near postponement due to a disagreement over the canvas on fight weekend, the world watched on as the rangy, unpredictable, underdog toyed with the champion for 12 rounds with speed and precision, before taking a unanimous victory on away soil.

What the world, nor Tyson himself, were expecting however, was that following his victory and acquisition of the WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO, Lineal and The Ring Heavyweight titles and reaching the pinnacle of his sport, he plunged into a well-publicised state of dark depression.

But out of the darkness came a beaming ray of light, as in 2017, Fury accepted that things needed to change. At 28-stone in weight, he decided enough was enough and, with the help of his doting wife, Paris, his family and the help of God, Tyson began his comeback.

His inspirational story, his openness and vulnerability about mental health, caught the hearts and minds of people from all corners of the earth. The refreshing advocacy of mental health from a prominent male figure in combat sports meant that more and more people drew hope and connection amidst their own struggles. Conversations were started in the most unlikely places and Tyson Fury became the people’s champion of the world for mental health.

Now, Tyson wasn’t just training to get fit and overcome depression. He also had business to attend to and, after a couple of warm-up fights, he took on the unlikely challenge of WBC World Heavyweight Champion, Deontay Wilder, The Bronze Bomber and his destructive right hand.

In a fight that would shock the world and produce one of the biggest talking points in modern day boxing history, the fight was scored a draw, with many fans believing Tyson to have done enough to take the win and the belt back to the UK. The iconic moment late on in the fight, where Wilder landed his infamous power shots, flush on Fury’s chin, seeing the Gypsy King fall to the canvas, seemingly out cold, only for Fury to rise to his feet to beat the 10-count, is thought to have been Wilder’s saving grace enabling him to cling on to a draw. The symbolism associated with Fury’s determination to beat the count was felt across the globe: if Tyson Fury could beat depression, then so could anybody else.

What followed was a transformation of public perception. With two further fights with Wilder, completing one of the best trilogies in history, Fury cemented his place back at the top, after dismantling the Bronze Bomber in both fights. Alongside this Fury has become a global brand and businessman, championing positive mental health for all, as well as rediscovering life as a husband and a father to his six children at his home in Morecambe, England.

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