Since 2015, when Tyson Fury unseated Wladimir Klitschko as boxing’s top heavyweight, his career has been a roller coaster. He retired. He came back. He retired again. He experienced depression, shot up to 400 pounds and contemplated suicide. Mixed in, he reclaimed a piece of the heavyweight title, became an advocate for mental health and engaged in one of the best trilogies ever: a Rock ’Em, Sock ’Em Robot string of fights with Deontay Wilder.
“What can I say?” asks Fury. “I’m an adrenaline junkie.”
Fury is speaking over Zoom from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where, on Saturday, he will take on former UFC star Francis Ngannou in a 10-round fight. Officially, it isn’t a title defense. It is a career-high payday, with Fury set to earn eight figures for the fight.