Fury: ‘I’ve Achieved More Than Any Active Heavyweight Alive Today’

Ever since he beat Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 to become the lineal heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury has been on a roll of a lifetime. He has been through some deep lows and is recently on the highest of highs. Now a WBC Heavyweight Champion, Fury looks back on his career with pride. He also sees himself adding more to his resume.

Fury (30-0-1) spoke with Sky Sports about his legacy. The “Gypsy King” credited himself as being one of the top fighters in the sport.

“I’ve achieved more than any active heavyweight alive today,” Fury stated. “No-one can come close to what I’ve achieved. I’m happy with where I am in my career and what I’m doing. If I never have another boxing fight, I’ll be happy. I’ve completed the game.

“I’ve won every single belt in boxing. From the English title to becoming the undisputed heavyweight champ of the world. All done, all finished. Considered the best, done. If I don’t box again, I’m happy, but if I do box again, then I continue to box. If we get past this thing, which hopefully we will, then we’re going to keep boxing and just keep taking on contenders.”

The 31-year-old turned professional in 2008 and won the English Heavyweight Title in his eighth fight. He beat several top fighters before Klitchko, including John McDermott and Dereck Chisora.

For over ten years, Klitschko (64-5) dominated the heavyweight division. Winning the IBF and IBO Heavyweight Titles in 2006, he ended up winning the WBO (2008), The Ring (2009), and WBA (2011) Titles. He was 22-0 during his impressive run. Fury then beat him by points to be recognized as a lineal champion.

“They said I’d never do it, they said I would never have the dedication,” Fury went on to say. “Then they wrote me off because I wasn’t body beautiful like everybody else, then they wrote me off because the heavyweight champion of the world was Wladimir Klitschko. I had to go to Germany, that was a write-off, and then they wrote me off because I went to 28 stone and had mental health problems, but that couldn’t keep me down.”

Following the Klitschko fights, Fury had to take a break from the sport. He lost all major titles except the lineal one. Coming back, he won two fights before fighting Deontay Wilder to a draw. The fight saw an epic comeback by Fury when it looked like he was down and out. With all the bargaining power, he signed with Top Rank and fought in two more fights before facing Wilder again. In February, Fury decimated Wilder to become the WBC and The Ring Heavyweight Champion.

Upcoming plans for Fury include a Wilder trilogy fight and a two-fight series against Anthony Joshua. If he were to beat both fighters, Fury would become an undisputed heavyweight champion. Looking to box until he’s 40, Fury would be doing it for the love of the game at that point.

“Klitschko did it until he was 40… I ain’t boxing for money, I ain’t boxing for fame, I ain’t boxing for a belt. I’m boxing because it keeps me mentally happy and I like to do it,” Fury stated. “Nothing to prove to anybody. Not one thing to prove at all, but I box now, because I love boxing and I’ve been doing it all my life. Why walk away when I’m still only young?”

After losing to Fury, Klitschko fought two years later, losing to Joshua. Was his time already up and he didn’t even know it? Now clean and healthy, Fury sees himself as someone who has survived it all and will continue to do so.

“Here I am today, stand-alone heavyweight, leading superstar in boxing,” Fury said. “I’m still fat, still ugly, still bald, still a big man, and I’m still unstoppable.”