After living the life of a rock star, Fury gets knocked down but he gets up again.. and God only knows how

NOT even the only man who could know the answer was able to provide an explanation.

Tyson Fury’s bid to become a twotime world heavyweight champion looked set to end flat on his back with his eyes closed and his arms limp.

At the opposite end of the ring Deontay Wilder strutted in cocky celebration as his team prepared to join him.

But as referee Jack Reiss reached the count of six, Fury stood bolt upright as if summoned by a higher power and convinced the official to let him hear the final bell.

He even finished the thrilling fight on top, but after saluting each of the four corners of the arena his joy was cut short when the judges controversially scored the clash a draw.

And Fury said: “I can’t tell you what happened because I don’t know. I had a holy hand on me which brought me back; I have a fighting spirit and I never say die.

“I got back up and then I countered him with a couple of good shots – I probably won the round.

“I’m the lineal heavyweight champion of the world, I’m not just going to lie down without a fight.”

Fury (in action, above) had already been down in the ninth when a right hand to his temple threatened to change the course of the fight. Until then the challenger had produced a virtuoso performance to leave Wilder bamboozled.

The American, who had knocked out 39 of his previous 40 opponents, suddenly found himself staring at defeat.

And Fury’s powers of recovery convinced the majority of the 17,000 crowd in Staples Center that he had upset the odds for a second time following his shock win over Wladimir Klitschko three years ago.

But Mexican judge Alejandro Rochin inexplicably awarded the first four rounds to Wilder, denying Fury a fairy-tale end to his comeback from the depths of depression.

The shell-shocked champion admitted: “I don’t know how he got up, I really thought I had him out of there. I saw his eyes roll into the back of his head and when I saw Jack down there with him I thought it was over. Only God knows how he got back up.”

Fury defied those who thought he was facing Wilder too soon after his return to the ring in the summer.

Victories over Sefer Seferi and Francesco Pianeta looked significantly short of the required preparation for a champion of Wilder’s ability. But he arguably surpassed his performance in Germany when he outboxed and outfoxed Klitschko.

Fury added: “There were not many people who thought I could box like that after two and a half years out of the ring. It’s not been a secret that I was living like a rock star – but that’s not a good thing, I had a very low time doing it.

“I fought back from the brink of suicide, mental-health problems and depression. I wanted to show the world that anything is possible with the right mindset. A year ago I was 400lb and in terrible shape but this is proof that anyone can come back from anything.

“I wasn’t just fighting for myself and when I was down on the canvas in round 12. I wasn’t just fighting for me and my family, I was representing everyone who suffers around the world.

“I hope I did you all proud.

“I was never going to be knocked out; I had to get up and show you can continue and you can carry on.”