Tyson Fury vs. John McDermott
After such a quick start to his professional career, Fury was given the opportunity to fight for the English Heavyweight Championship in just his eighth fight against 25-5 ‘Big Bad’ John McDermott on September 11, 2009. After 10 rounds, it looked like the railwayman from Basildon, Essex, may have done enough to halt Fury’s fast start to life as a pro. However, Fury maintained his unbeaten start to win the English title when referee Terry O’Connor awarded him a 98-92 victory after 10.
Tyson Fury vs. John McDermott II
Given the controversial nature of Fury’s win over McDermott, there was naturally clamor for a rematch. After winning the first fight at the Brentwood Centre, Fury defeated Tomas Mrazek on points just two weeks later before stopping Hans Joerg Blask the following March. Then on June 25, 2010, Fury and McDermott met again and this time there was no controversy as the undefeated ace dropped his opponent three times en route to a ninth round stoppage victory.
Tyson Fury vs. Derek Chisora
His victory over McDermott in the rematch was the official eliminator for the British Heavyweight Championship, and in July 2011, Fury finally got the chance to fight for Lord Lonsdale’s belt when he faced Dereck Chisora for the first time. The Finchley heavyweight was 14-0 at the time but had no answer for Fury, who handled his first 12-round fight with aplomb at Wembley Arena. Judges Phil Edwards and Ian John-Lewis both scored it 117-112, while Richard James Davies had it 118-111 all in favor of Fury, who also won the Commonwealth title.
Tyson Fury vs. Steve Cunningham
After winning the British, Irish and Commonwealth heavyweight titles, it was time for Fury to try and crush America. However, he almost failed during this infamous bout with Steve Cunningham at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. Fury’s trainer and uncle Peter was unable to travel to America due to visa issues and his nephew had a nightmare start when he was knocked out in the second round before having a point deducted for a headbutt in the fifth. However, Fury rallied to quit and stop Cunningham in the seventh round to avoid disaster in New York.
Tyson Fury vs. Derek Chisora II
Just over three years after their first fight, Fury and Chisora met again at the ExCel Arena in London in a crack final eliminator against world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko. But after winning his first competitive fight, Fury was even more dominant in this comeback and forced a shy Chisora to retire in the 10th round on November 29, 2014 to set up a much-anticipated showdown with Klitschko. Fury also won the European Heavyweight Championship thanks to his victory. Fury roared after the fight: “Wladimir Klitschko, I’m coming for you, baby.”
Wladimir Klitschko vs. Tyson Fury
On 28 November 2015, Fury secured one of the best away victories ever by a British fighter with a unanimous decision win over Klitschko at the Esprity Arena in Dusseldorf. Klitschko was on a 22-fight winning streak that stretched back 11 years and Fury was a huge underdog in the bookies when he arrived in Germany. But he made a mockery of the odds by completely nullifying the Ukrainian and controlling a rather dull fight. Cesar Ramos and Raul Caiz won him 115-112, while Ramon Cerdan had it 116-111.
Tyson Fury vs. Vladimir Klitschko II
This was the rematch that never happened. Fury and Klitschko were due to meet in the agreed return on 9 July 2016, but Fury’s ankle injury meant an initial delay, then a new date of 29 October was drawn up. However, just a month before the new date, Fury pulled out again as he was deemed ‘medically unfit’ for the fight, although no further details were revealed. “Tyson will now immediately undergo the treatment he needs to make a full recovery,” announced his promoter Hennessey Sports. “We and Tyson would like to express our sincerest apologies to all those who were concerned by the incident and to all boxing fans who were looking forward to the rematch. Tyson is understandably devastated by the development.”
UKAD fees for 2016
In August 2016, British anti-doping body UKAD charged Fury with a doping violation. It was revealed on June 24, the day Fury pulled out of his first rematch with Klitschko, that UKAD had suspended the heavyweight. But Fury, then 27, insisted he would sue UKAD over their claim with reports claiming he tested positive for nandrolone in a urine test in February 2015. His cousin Hughie was also charged. The UKAD spokeswoman said: “The UK Anti-Doping Agency can confirm that both boxers were charged on 24 June 2016 for the presence of a Prohibited Substance. UK anti-doping rules allow athletes to challenge the imposition of a provisional suspension, and the independent National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP) has today lifted the athletes’ suspensions, pending a full decision on the charges. These allegations will be heard at a hearing before the NADP in due course.”
Then, in December 2017, nearly 25 months after his victory over Klitschko, Fury accepted a two-year doping ban backdated, allowing him to fight again after getting his license back. Both he and Hughie insisted they never knowingly or intentionally committed any doping offense and agreed to a compromise with UKAD. “Hughie and I have maintained our innocence from day one,” Tyson Fury said in a statement. “We are now happy that it has finally been settled with UKAD and that we can move forward knowing that we will not be labeled as drug cheats. Now I can put the nightmare of the last two years behind me.”
Release of world titles
Fury had already relinquished his IBF heavyweight title when he decided to go ahead with his contracted rematch with Klitschko rather than face his mandatory challenger. But it was not until October 2016 that he vacated the WBO and WBA belts. With the UKAD issue hanging over his head, his ongoing fight against drink and drugs and his ‘medically unfit’ status to fight, he had no choice but to relinquish his remaining two belts. he said: “I have won titles in the ring and I believe they should be lost in the ring, but at this time I cannot defend and I have made the difficult and emotional decision to now officially vacate my precious world titles and I wish the next competitors the best as I now enter more one big challenge in my life that I know I will win, just like against Klitschko.”
2016 BBBofC Suspension
The British Boxing Board of Control decided to suspend Fury in 2016 due to ‘anti-doping and medical issues’ and cited Fury’s admission of cocaine use and mental health battle as their reasoning. But in January 2018, as Fury prepared for his long-awaited return, the boxer met with the Board to reach an agreement on his future. According to the BBC, the Board decided to reinstate his license after receiving Fury’s updated medical records. The statement read: “Following an interview with Tyson Fury at the British Boxing Board of Control offices earlier today, the suspension of his British Boxing Board of Control boxing license will be lifted subject to all medical requirements being received and approved.”
Mental health issues
Fury has become an advocate for men’s mental health following his highly public battle following his victory over Wladimir Klitschko in 2015. Fury has openly admitted to abusing alcohol and cocaine while suffering from depression punctuated by suicidal thoughts. He laid bare his issues during an interview with Rolling Stone in October 2016. He said: “I’m going through a lot of personal demons, I’m trying to shake them off, this has nothing to do with my fight – what I’m going through now is my personal life. I haven’t been to the gym in months. I was going through depression. I just don’t want to live anymore, if you know what I’m saying. I’ve had enough of it. Cocaine doesn’t matter. I just didn’t care. I don’t want to live anymore. So cocaine is a small thing compared to not wanting to live anymore. I see help but they can’t do anything for me. What I have is incurable. I don’t want to live. All the money in the world, fame and glory, mean nothing if you’re not happy. I’m going to see a psychiatrist. They say I have a version bipolar. I am manically depressed. I don’t even want to wake up. I hope to die every day. And that’s a bad thing to say when I have three kids and a wonderful wife, right? But I don’t want to live anymore. And if I could take my own life – and I’m not a Christian – I would take it in a second. I just hope someone kills me before I kill myself. I will have to spend eternity in hell. I was out drinking, Monday through Friday through Sunday, and doing cocaine. I can’t deal with it and the only thing that helps me is when I go crazy with alcohol.”
2018. Return to the ring
After reaching an agreement with the Board, Fury was re-licensed and therefore able to fight in the UK. In April 2018, Frank Warren called a press conference in a central London hotel, which was teased as a ‘big announcement’ without mentioning Fury. However, with reporters crammed into the room, Fury was unveiled as Queensberry’s latest multi-fight signing. Fury has insisted he will box three times before the end of 2018 with a June 9 date set for his long-awaited return to the ring.
Tyson Fury vs. Sefer Seferi
On June 9, 2018, Fury made his long-awaited return to the ring, 924 days after his victory over Klitschko. His opponent for the 10-round bout was Albanian Sefer Seferi, who was 23-1 but spent most of his career at cruiserweight. After dropping 112lbs after a break from boxing, Fury weighed in at 276lbs, while Seferi weighed in at 210. After some early swagger, referee Phil Edwards cautioned Fury and the former world champion began shifting gears in rounds three and four. Seferi gave up on the chair between the fourth and fifth matches, thus giving Fury back the victory at the Manchester Arena.
Tyson Fury vs Francesco Pianeta
Within four months of defeating Seferi, the even lighter Fury returned to action against Francesco Pianeta outdoors at Windsor Park in Belfast. Fury weighed in at 258 lbs, 18 lbs lower than his previous outing, while Pianeta was just a tad lighter at 254 1/2 lbs. With a fight against Deontay Wilder in the works, the Alabama puncher was ringside for the fight as Fury largely defeated Pianeta on points over 10 rounds. Afterwards he said: “I think it was a calculated boxing performance. I got 10 rounds with a very tough man under my belt.”
