I’m our Fury.. I won’t stay down
Rocket roars he’s a fighter just like Tyson
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN has labelled himself the Tyson Fury of snooker.
‘Gypsy King’ Fury is the undefeated WBC heavyweight champion of the world and is eying up fights with Oleksander Usyk and Anthony Joshua to unify the division before he hangs up his gloves.
He famously came back from crippling depression and suicidal thoughts to dethrone Deontay Wilder.
Snooker legend and six-time world champ O’Sullivan, who’s had stints in The Priory for his own mental health, is proud of what he’s achieved in the best era of the green-baize game.
The Rocket holds records for ranking titles, UK titles, Masters and Triple Crown wins and century breaks – and is just one behind Scot Stephen Hendry’s Crucible record.
O’Sullivan, who continues his bid for an eighth UK title against Noppon Saengkham today, said: “I like to think I’m a Fury – never ducked anyone or a challenge, picked myself off the floor and come out fighting even when I’ve not felt like fighting. I think that’s the only way you can judge if a sportsman is truly a great or not, if they’ve fought whoever was the greatest at the time in front of them. “You see a lot of boxers fighting people who are past their best or come up with excuses on why a fight can’t happen. You lose respect for those type of people.
“Whereas your Marvin Haglers, Sugar Ray Leonards, Lennox Lewises, they’re alltime greats because they fought the best when they were at their best. For me that’s what makes a great a great.”
O’Sullivan has had to battle the likes of Hendry, John Higgins, Mark Williams, Mark Selby and Judd Trump for the sport’s top titles during his near three-decade career.
The 45-year-old added: “I like to think I’ve taken on all comers in my career.
“I’m not ducking people, do you know what I’m saying? “I’ve played the best at their best, they’ve played me at my best. Some other sports they don’t test themselves against the best for whatever reason.”