Boxing

Oleksandr Usyk rematch is yet another process that Tyson Fury must delve into and try to resolve

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Just last month, Mike Tyson was asked about his legacy by teenage social media journalist phenomenon Jazlyn Guerra’s Jazzy’s World TV.

“I don’t believe in the word legacy. I just think it’s another word for ego,” he said on the social media show in a now-notorious clip that went viral. “Legacy doesn’t mean nothing. That’s just some word everyone grabbed onto. … It means absolutely nothing to me. I’m just passing through. I’m gonna die and it’s going to be over. Who cares about legacy after that?”

His namesake, Tyson Fury, should be able to relate. Regardless of what transpires against unified heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch Saturday, live on DAZN PPV, Fury’s legacy as one of the greatest heavyweights in boxing history is secure. In many ways, this bout offers yet another process for the “Gypsy King” to delve into and conquer over the span of his gloriously turbulent life.

Nothing has come easy for Fury, 36, but he has always found a way.

Here, DAZN News, documents and revisits Fury’s trying episodes which required him to throw himself into an arduous process, only to have his hand raised at the end.

Facing demons: Drug/Alcohol abuse, shedding massive weight

The aftermath of Fury defeating Wladimir Klitschko to become the unified heavyweight champion of the world in November 2015 had the “Gypsy King” spiraling out of control with excessive drinking, drug use and letting his body go, having ballooned to 400 pounds.

“This went on for 18 months of me battling my own self every day — drinking, abusing my own body, eating rubbish, taking drugs,” Fury told Mauro Ranallo for Showtime back in November 2018.

The low point of Fury’s life led to an absence from the ring of nearly three years and a cry for help to God.

“I said ‘please intervene here and show me the way, show me the light because I’m sick of living in darkness,’” Fury told Ranallo about his words to God following a Halloween party in October 2017.

Full of tears, he told his wife Paris, “tomorrow, I start to turn my life around. I promise you I’m going to do it.”

That’s when Fury threw himself headfirst into the comeback process — not only in boxing, but life, period.

He started out by running but that jaunt was short-lived as his joints couldn’t hold his massive weight and he stopped 200 yards into the session, walking the rest of his way.

During that walk, Fury said he saw an interview of Deontay Wilder talking trash about the British fighter and right there in that instant, the “Gypsy King” had all the motivation he needed to get fully back into shape which he did.

Working incessantly, Fury returned to the ring June 2018, never looking back.

Going public with mental health hurdles

Tyson Fury has been and continues to be a public advocate for mental health.

This process has had Fury talking about the hurdles he’s faced at length and how it’s an ever evolving battle for many.

He didn’t have to be this spokesperson, but having battled his own mental health and won, Fury never shies away from questions on the subject nor doling out gems of advice when faced with such inquiries.

Conquering the states

It’s not easy for a British fighter to conquer the United States, sweeping up fanfare in the Western hemisphere. But that’s exactly what Fury was able to do, winning over thousands of fans’ hearts with his charisma and supreme boxing ability.

Prior to his first of three fights with Deontay Wilder, Fury had only fought one fight outside of Europe in the form of an April 2013 stoppage of Steve Cunningham at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

So, getting American boxing fans excited about his December 2018 fight with Wilder at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California was looking like a daunting uphill climb.

Yet, Fury managed to stir up interest by simply being himself. I was there at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum during the New York City promotional leg in the buildup to that fight and it was one of the most entertaining press conferences I’ve ever covered.

That fight then produced all the high drama a heavyweight championship bout could ever entail en route to a controversial split draw.

And just like that, Fury had American boxing fans’ attention stateside.

His next four fights were in Las Vegas, including two more bouts where he demolished Wilder, and Fury was a bonafide global boxing superstar.

Getting off the mat

Whether it was rising off the mat The Undertaker style in the 12 round of his inaugural clash with Deontay Wilder or struggling to his feet after suffering two knockdowns in their trilogy bout, Fury’s mettle has a penchant of responding with a heart pumping fortitude.

In many ways, Fury rising off the mat is symbolic of him battling and finding his way back onto his feet following life’s latest obstacle.

And he’s done it by delving into the process.

This time, coming off his first pro loss and facing a rematch against Usyk isn’t any different.

It’s just another process for Fury to scour through and resolve.

Watch Usyk vs. Fury 2 on DAZN PPV

The Oleksandr Usyk/Tyson Fury rematch and full undercard is a DAZN Pay-Per-View (PPV) worldwide event and will cost £24.99 in the UK / $39.95 in the US. For prices in your region click here.

A PPV event is a single one-off payment, with no subscription requirement or extra costs. Buying the Usyk vs. Fury 2 PPV on DAZN brings great benefits.

This includes a range of options to watch the fight, from the traditional commentary to watchalongs with True Geordie or ShowBizz; the best broadcast team including Kate Scott, Ade Oladipo, Andy Lee, Darren Barker and Eddie Hearn; and commentary in multiple languages.

The PPV also comes with a seven-day free trial of the whole DAZN platform.

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