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On the night of April 12, Tyson Fury will make yet another comeback. The “Gypsy King” is resuming his career and will face Arslanbek Makhmudov in London. If Fury loses, he may have to retire once again. But regardless of the outcome of his fight with Makhmudov, Tyson will always be remembered as a unique boxer.
Surprisingly, the giant Briton was born prematurely and weighed only 450 grams. Tyson’s father, John Fury, said doctors gave a grim prognosis, but the child survived. And after being named after Mike Tyson, Fury had little choice but to pursue boxing — his father loved the sport and always wanted Tyson to become a great fighter.
And he did. Any debate about Fury’s greatness is pointless. The Briton was not especially impressive as an amateur and has been competing professionally since 2008. If you showed a picture of Tyson to someone unfamiliar with boxing, they would probably never guess they were looking at one of the best fighters of our era. Especially if it was a photo from the period when Fury was in “fantastic” shape and weighed 180 kilograms. The tall Briton with a beer belly, sagging hips, and disproportionately thin legs looked completely out of place. But despite his physique, Fury has outboxed many world-class fighters.
Those thin legs are one of the Briton’s biggest strengths. Not only are they thin, but they are also surprisingly quick for a heavyweight. Fury himself is fast and agile, using excellent body control in defense in the style of Muhammad Ali and relying on his footwork to move around the ring. His technique does not match his appearance. A boxer of his size would seem more like a devastating puncher than a counterpuncher. Yet Fury proved to everyone that he is a unique boxer and that athletes of his size can move lightly.
Tyson is not the most technically polished boxer, but he has a highly unusual style because of his 216-centimeter reach. Fury has a classic jab in his arsenal — fast and powerful — which he uses extremely well. He also knows how to land traditional one-two combinations from long range, something his size allows him to do. But his variety of uppercuts — sometimes from below, sometimes from the side, sometimes from completely unpredictable angles — is one of Fury’s greatest weapons. They are difficult to anticipate and even harder to defend against. Combined with Tyson’s speed and explosive power, they become a major threat.
So this very unusual Briton, with his distinctive technique, appearance, and even more distinctive behavior, managed to conquer the modern boxing world. In 2015, Tyson ended the 10-year winning streak of Wladimir Klitschko, something that had seemed impossible. Fury beat Klitschko at his own game, giving the champion absolutely no chance.
A three-year break had little effect on the Briton. He returned in 2018 and soon found himself facing Deontay Wilder, the leading knockout artist in modern boxing. In their trilogy, Tyson not only avoided being knocked out despite all expectations, but also won two of the three fights — and with them, perhaps, Wilder’s spirit. Wilder never truly looked the same after those battles.
Tyson also defeated undefeated prospects such as Otto Wallin, whom Murat Gassiev struggled to handle, and Tom Schwarz. Fury’s victories were convincing and rarely questioned. He also beat big names, defeating Derek Chisora three times and also overcoming Dillian Whyte. He now has 34 wins in 37 fights, with one draw and two losses to Oleksandr Usyk — a solid record for boxing’s glamour division, wouldn’t you agree?
And what heights might Tyson have reached if not for his psychological struggles? Taking a three-year break at the very peak of his career, just after winning championship belts from Klitschko, and then falling into depression — that is something only Fury could do. These psychological struggles were often accompanied by alcohol and other serious problems. Tyson has never been ashamed to admit that he has addictions that affect him.
Fury’s behavior, his actions, and his interview comments often seem bizarre. Tyson comes across as a deeply unstable person. Who knows — perhaps it is just part of his image, or perhaps it is tied to those old psychological struggles and addictions. Either way, the boxing world has become used to Fury. His unpredictability and, to some extent, his madness have become trademarks without which Tyson would not be himself. Fury throws tables at press conferences, appears in outrageous costumes, forces hosts to drink beer, and can even start singing in the ring after a victory — the Briton has done it all.
On the other hand, Fury’s psychological instability nearly cost him his career. After defeating Klitschko, he became so unwell that he not only stopped thinking about boxing, but even contemplated suicide.
One way or another, Tyson always finds a way out. His career, much like that of the man he was named after, resembles a roller coaster — full of ups and downs. Whether Fury can once again find his balance remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: he will forever remain part of boxing history. Unique, but great — the Gypsy King, Tyson Fury.
