Trainer Ben knew Tyson was serious about return when he ran up a mountain then, like Forrest Gump, just didn’t stop

ROOKIE trainer Ben Davison knew Tyson Fury was serious about his comeback when he had his very own Forrest Gump moment.

Fury turned to Davison in a last-ditch attempt to salvage his career after ballooning to 28st during a two-year, drink-anddrugs binge.

And the inexperienced coach was convinced he was not wasting his time when Fury ran up a mountain – and kept on running, just like Tom Hanks’ character in the much-loved movie.

Davison (in training with Fury, right), who is 26 today, recalled: “There were lots of little moments, but one that stands out for me was when I asked Tyson to walk up a mountain in Marbella – and he ran.

“We were thinking, ‘What is this lunatic doing’, because he was still 26 stone.

“I thought he would stop after a minute, but a minute went by and so I gave him another two minutes, and then another five, but he was never stopping.

“We got to the point where all fighters stop, and I said we were finished, but, Tyson being Tyson, he kept going to the top of the mountain.

“That’s when I realised he was a special character. He’s got an ego – even when he was at his biggest he would talk himself into a task. He would pick up two big dumbbells and ask me if I thought he could do a certain number of reps.

“I’d say definitely not, but he’d start doing them as if to say, ‘Well, just watch me’. He puts himself in these situations to show that he’s different.”

Davison was in Fury’s corner for his routine victories over mediocre opposition in Sefer Seferi and Francesco Pianeta. But he insists his man has not bitten off more than he can chew in accepting a fight against heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder.

And he is confident Fury will not be consumed by the same demons that sent him spiralling out of control, following his upset victory over Wladimir Klitschko three years ago.,

Davison added: “I have to be more than a trainer to Tyson. Being friends helps and he knows what was missing in his life during that dark period.

“He needs routine and structure. From the beginning, I’ve known that’s what Tyson needs to avoid going back to that dark place. If anyone can do something like this, it’s him.

“And now you’ll see a different Tyson – he always rises to the occasion.”

Billy Joe Saunders will pocket £166,250 if Fury beats Wilder in the Los Angeles fight after placing two massive bets.

Saunders, who relinquished his own world middleweight title after testing positive for the stimulant Oxilofrine, has shown confidence in his fellow traveller by placing bets of £20,000 and £50,000 at odds of 11/8.

BT Sport Box Office will exclusively show Wilder v Fury on Saturday, available to buy for just £19.95, find out more at www.bt.com/sportboxoffice