GREATEST FIGHT OF HIS LIFE
Fury has recovered from brink of suicide to another world title shot and says: It will rate as one of the best comebacks of all time
TYSON FURY can tonight complete his transformation from washed-up has-been to two-time heavyweight world champion – but insists it would mean nothing.
Three years ago Fury stunned Wladimir Klitschko to inherit his crown, before spiralling out of control into a hedonistic lifestyle fuelled by drink and drugs.
He has fought back from the brink of suicide to stand one win away from joining fellow Brit Anthony Joshua as rulers of boxing’s glamour division.
But not even victory over Deontay Wilder next door to star-studded Hollywood will distract him from his true calling.
Fury (left), who will bank £8million from tonight’s clash, said: “I sit here as someone who has experienced dark times. It was so dark, it was pitch black. I was taking drugs and drinking on a daily basis – you can’t go any lower than that.
“I was 400lbs, I was a fat pig and I wanted to die. I didn’t want to live but I had everything to live for – fame, money, wife, family, the lot – but it didn’t mean anything because I was suffering from mental health problems.
“There can’t be any bigger and better comebacks than this, not too many people have come back from where I’ve been. It will rank up there with the best comebacks of all time.
“But what will it mean? To be brutally honest, not a great deal. It will be like just another pair of shoes in the closet.”
Fury’s approach is in stark contrast to the homophobic, sexist and antisemitic rants he delivered before and after his shock win over Klitschko. Since then he has failed drug tests for the steroid nandrolone and for cocaine, and was handed a backdated two-year ban for the former.
But he insists that version of him has been consigned to the history books – along with that night in Germany.
“If I can turn my life around and come back from that to being on the verge of winning another world heavyweight championship then anybody can achieve anything in life with the right help and the right plans,” he said. “That is my motivation now, I’m not interested in boxing really, I have no interest at all. Tyson Fury achieved his dreams in Dusseldorf three years ago.
“He became a world heavyweight champion, he beat a legendary fighter – that is dream stuff. Now I’m here to inspire and give people hope, because I don’t believe there are many people doing that around the world at the moment.
“I’m their guy, I’m not going in there to make me and my family proud, and get a pat on the back. I’m going in there because people need me, people are suffering quietly.
“I suffered for years with depression and anxiety because I didn’t know what it was and I had no education on the matter.
“Every day was a grey day but every day shouldn’t be a grey day because every day is a blessing.
“Now I understand every day is a rose-coloured, sunshine day, and I appreciate every second, every hour, because I know it can be taken away at any minute.” 33 Tuscaloosa,Alabama Tuscaloosa,Alabama 40 40 0 39 97.5% Orthodox
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70 per cent orthodox 6ft 9ins 18st 4lb 85ins