FURY: OUTLAW UNTO HIMSELF
TYSON FURY claims he felt driven to “play the outlaw” in his career because of racist abuse.
Fury experienced discrimination growing up in the travelling community and says it made him feel like an outsider in boxing.
The former world heavyweight champion, widely criticised for making sexist and homophobic remarks, claims he courted controversy to gain publicity.
Fury, 31, says in his new autobiography ‘Behind the Mask’ that he was playing a character before he lost sight of who he really was.
He says this contributed to his descent into depression after beating Wladimir Klitschko (above) to claim the WBA Super, IBF and WBO crowns four years ago. He even contemplated suicide as he binged on drink and drugs. “I started playing this part, being arrogant and cocky,” writes Fury in his autobiography. “I eventually lost myself in this character.
“When I started out as a pro, I made a decision which on reflection played a big part in exacerbating my moments of despair. I went into the paid ranks off the back of an amateur career during which I was aware of racism against travellers.
“This made me an outsider and so I felt that for me to get the attention I needed to be an attraction in the sport, I had to play the outlaw. I felt I had to act out a role to seek publicity and to do that I had to be controversial and shock people with how I talked.
“To some degree it worked. But in playing the role I got to the point where I didn’t know what was real and what was the act.”