Tyson Fury, the gypsy king: what you need to know about the new WBC heavyweight boxing champion who defeated Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas and sang American Pie
The British prizefighter likes to dress up as Batman and Apollo Creed and to sing Aerosmith songs and American Pie; he also donated US$9 million to charity, is named after Mike Tyson – and once battled depression and alcoholism
Tyson Fury is best known for his boxing prowess and it’s not hard to see why. He is a two-time heavyweight champion and is widely considered to be one of the best boxers in the world right now. However, there’s a lot more to Fury than his ability to knock out opponents in the ring. Read on for five fascinating facts about the 31-year-old heavyweight prizefighter – who took the WBC heavyweight title from American fighter Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas on February 22.
He was named after you-know-who
John Fury named his son after legendary boxer Mike Tyson because he was born three months premature and weighed a single pound. The doctors didn’t expect Tyson Fury to survive long, but he clearly beat their expectations.
He makes some pretty out-there fashion statements
Fury has made some truly unforgettable fashion statements over the years. He showed up to one event in a Batman costume and has donned an Apollo Creed outfit and lucha libre wrestler get-ups on other occasions. He’s repeatedly worn clothing featuring images of past boxing icons and once even wore a suit that featured his faded image along with his famous sayings.
Fury’s most recent statement-making outfit was a suit he had made to insult Wilder. Tailor Nav Salimian, who has designed many of his most ostentatious outfits, notes that the boxer has a great sense of humour and enjoys making a statement by wearing loud, vibrant colours and patterns.
He’s battled mental health issues