His antics on social media coupled with his outspoken personality have made him one of the most divisive figures in boxing, but in an age where the sport is crying out for a personality, Tyson Fury is its one true saving grace.
It's been 24 months since Fury last stepped out into a boxing ring after ceremoniously ending Wladimir Klitschko's heavyweight title reign. Since then time he’s undergone a series of well-documented personal struggles including retiring twice, admitting to using recreational drugs in an attempt to battle depression, and gaining over nine stone in unwanted weight.
His performance that night should have signalled the start of a new era of domination for British boxing, but in his absence another young hopeful emerged in the Herculean mould of Anthony Joshua. The former Olympic champion now holds a perfect unbeaten record of 20-0 all by way of knockout and he has his sights firmly set on unifying the heavyweight division.
Yet for all of Joshua’s talent and his PR friendly personality, which has seen him become the fighter in the division, Fury’s recent activity on social media has given all boxing fans a timely reminder of what the sport is missing. Joshua knows this too, and he’s even attempted to shake off his ‘nice guy’ image in recent weeks with a series of tweets talking up a potential bout between the two.
Doing what he does best, the ‘Gypsy King’ announced that he would be stepping back into the ring in true Tyson Fury form; calling out everybody from Deontay Wilder to Anthony Joshua all while Eminem’s ‘Without Me’ plays in the background. To some people this may be a bit too on the nose, but as the song suggests, the game wouldn’t be the same without him.
In an interview with IFL TV, the former champion said: "I want the public to see me, the people's champion, the happy-go-lucky Tyson Fury. Not the confident, brash character to sell tickets. If promoters can't do their job, I'm not going to help them. I'm not going to be a performing actor.
"I feel I have a story to tell, a massive one. The stuff I've been through, depression, mental health problems. It can help and inspire others. From rags to riches to rags again.
"From 18 stone to 27. From a clean living man to drugs and alcohol and back to the heavyweight world champion again. I hope the legacy and story I leave behind will help others in the future of what to do and not to do."
Whereas some fighters would just go about their business and keep their personal life separate from the sport, the ‘people’s champion’ has unashamedly documented his comeback on his Instagram account. Rather than deliver the same old tiresome PR spiel, Fury has shown a range of emotions as he battles to regain fitness and overcome his personal issues.
Whether he’s encouraging people to take part in his motivational workout sessions or having a laugh at his own expense, there’s no denying that he knows how to build a real relationship with his fans and cut through all the fakery.
Of course he knows there’s still a long way to go before he steps back into the ring, especially seeing as how he cannot be granted a boxing license until the UK Anti-Doping agency gives clearance, but fortunately for us he still very much has the talent to get to where he needs to be and reintroduce himself as the king of British boxing.
