MY boxing life has been made up of two careers.
The first took place between 2008 and 2015, a period in which I was unable to recognise the psychological demons dragging me down.
Walking away from boxing is the hardest thing I have ever tried to do, says Tyson Fury
The boxer’s new autobiography Gloves Off, is out on November 10
I wanted to leave boxing at the peak of my powers, but have been tempted back, says Tyson Fury
They pulled on me like a rucksack full of stones, despite the fact I was on my way to becoming the heavyweight champion of the world.
The second career kicked off in 2018 after a brutal battle with my mental health, a war I’m still locked into today.
Through sheer will I was able to overcome my issues and return as the planet’s most entertaining pugilist.
But then I started to think I should leave the stage while still at the peak of my powers.
While I’ve long been admiral of HMS I Don’t Give A Crap, the most entertaining showman since the days of Muhammad Ali and the greatest fighter of my generation, it’s important to know that, as far as I’m concerned, boxing has always been a business with a shelf life.
Statistically the people that stay in the game for too long have a tendency to get damaged, really damaged, and I don’t want that happening to me.
There’s also a risk that my career has been shortened by the way in which I’ve lived my life.
Health and nutrition was not exactly a priority for large chunks of my time as a pro: I ballooned in weight between bouts and then, during the mental health breakdown that started in 2015, I boozed, binged and tried cocaine.
There was even an attempt at ending it all a year later when I pointed my Ferrari at a bridge and slammed on the accelerator, though I changed my mind at the last second and pulled away — thank God.
When I eventually asked for help I was diagnosed as bipolar, paranoid and suffering from anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
I later recovered, but my mental health issues remain a constant work in progress — from time to time I can have suicidal thoughts, though I now understand what’s needed to keep my demons at arm’s length.
So while getting my face punched in for a living has put millions of pounds in the bank, a fighter needs to know when their time is up — and mine is near.
Walking away from boxing may be the hardest thing I ever do.
All I know is that I don’t want to overstay my welcome, ruin my legacy, or die from a big right to the side of the head.
And believe me, an ending like that has felt worryingly real at times.
I even experienced short-term memory loss following that bruising encounter with Wilder in 2021, when, in the hours after the win, my head covered in tennis ball-sized lumps, it was impossible to remember how many times I’d gone down.
Everything was foggy, and the experience frightened me.
No way do I want to end up living out my days in a wheelchair, or eating my dinners through a straw.
Tyson Fury fully intended to quit boxing for good after beating Deontay Wilder in 2021
After that fight with Wilder, I told my promoter Frank Warren that I planned to retire.
But then…Bang! he approached me with the opportunity to fight at Wembley Stadium in April 2022.
Wembley was a showcase venue, an opportunity to bow out in style.
And after the hardship and pain of the coronavirus pandemic, I felt I owed it to the fans.
Boxing deserved a hell of a party, and with my triumph over Dillian Whyte, I gave them a showdown for the history books.
I told the world it would take half a billion to drag me back into the ring.
At one point, I was so confident that nobody was going to cough up the cash that I threw down a bet with Piers Morgan on live TV.
He said, ‘How about if you do fight again, you have to give me a million pounds?’ Piers couldn’t believe his luck when I agreed, though I also knew that if there was a £500million fight on the cards, I wasn’t going to feel that sad about giving him a million of it. (Though he’ll get it in pound coins and fivers.)
The other fight I’ve been interested in is a showdown to stop the nation in its tracks.
Tyson Fury says boxing will have a void of charisma when he finally hangs up his gloves
Tyson says his battle with mental health is a never ending fight
A match with Anthony Joshua would fall into this category, and in September 2022, I even offered to battle him in the UK with a 60-40 split in earnings.
I wanted it to be a moment in sporting history, a fight for Britain.
But so far we haven’t been able to make it happen.
Now I’m due to fight Derek Chisora on December 3 — having already beaten him twice.
Chisora and I used to be pals but when it came to my Wembley showdown against Dillian Whyte, Chisora tipped the other bloke to knock me out.
I couldn’t get my head around that. How can you claim to be someone’s friend and then back another fighter to send him to the canvas?
I really had no idea what was eating him at the time. Perhaps it was jealousy.
I have a potential meeting with Oleksandr Usyk next year. I don’t rate his chances against me either.
Sure, Usyk has beaten AJ twice now, but he’s hardly a killer.
When I do finally retire, there’s bound to be a void in boxing, in the same way athletics got boring once Usain Bolt had disappeared from the scene — there’s no one around with the same charisma.
With that in mind, staying on the stage is bloody tempting.
You might be wondering, ‘Well, hang on, what about those risks you were talking about earlier — the ones that made you consider retirement in the first place?’ And sure, a purse is worthless if you die or get seriously injured in the process, but the thing is, I don’t plan on doing either of those things. I plan on winning.
- ADAPTED from Gloves Off by Tyson Fury, published by Century on November 10 in hardback and audiobook.
MY PAL ROBBIE
TYSON says he’s not impressed by celebrity but has bonded with stars like Robbie Williams — after he recorded a song on the singer’s Christmas album.
Fury said: “Robbie’s a top bloke and we had plenty in common.
Tyson says he has forged a bond with singer Robbie Williams
“Robbie and me are both people that have hit the top, having worked hard for something all our lives — him: pop stardom; me: the world heavyweight championship — only for the realities of our success to become massively destructive and very different to what we’d expected at the beginning.”
Tyson said another “genuine” person was singer Ed Sheeran, who he met after a gig.
He said: “We are both very similar in character. Ed is grounded.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How many punches can one human take?
A punch can be defined as “a blow delivered with a fist”. Only one punch can be sustained by a human. You are punching someone in the face if they hit you. You can’t hit him/her in the back. That would mean two punches.So, technically speaking, humans can only take one punch at a time!
What can I do to improve my fighting defense?
Learning how to fight intelligently can help you improve your defense. You need to be able to defend yourself from all angles and counterattack if necessary.
You won’t be able to fight if you don’t know what fighting is. You’ll just get beaten up. If you know how to fight you will be ready for anything.
These are some tips that will help you improve your defense.
- You need to know where your opponent is coming from. This means you must pay close attention to the body language of your opponent. If your opponent appears nervous, it could mean that he’s about to attack again.
- Stay calm. Don’t panic. Instead, keep calm and be focused.
- Block with your arms. Blocking with your arms is an effective and simple way to defend against attacks.
- Counterattack. You should immediately counterattack your opponent if they are attacking you.
- Fight dirty. Fighting dirty is another way of defending yourself. For example, if your opponent throws a kick at you, then you can respond by kicking him back.
How can my punching form be improved?
Boxing’s most important aspect is punching form. If you want to be a better boxer, you must master punch technique. Here are some ways to improve your boxing technique.
- Keep your head up. Keep your head up when you’re throwing punches.
- Punch from the shoulder. When you throw a punch, try to hit the target from the shoulder instead of the chin.
- Keep your eyes on your feet. When you punch, don’t move your feet.
- Make quick, short punches. Your body will be tired faster if you are throwing longer punches.
- Don’t forget about defense! Always be ready to stop any incoming punches.
- Use your elbows. Elbows are an effective way to defend yourself.
- Your legs are your best friend. You can avoid being knocked to the ground if you learn how to properly use your legs.
- Every day, practice. Even though you may feel tired after training, keep going. To be a good coach, you need to practice.
- Have fun Enjoy what you’re doing.
- Breathe. Correct breathing will help you feel stronger and more energetic.
- Relax. Don’t worry so much about making mistakes. Learn new things instead of worrying about making mistakes.
- Be patient. Boxing isn’t easy. You will need to practice your boxing skills over time.
- Never stop improving. As long as there is room for improvement, there will be room for improvement.
- Listen to music. Music can be a great way to relax and concentrate while training.
- Watch videos of professional boxers. Watching them fight can inspire you to work harder.
- Read books. Reading helps you to understand boxing techniques.
- Pause. Sometimes it helps to take a break from boxing. Go outside and play basketball or soccer.
- Find a coach. Boxing is a sport that requires a coach with a lot of experience. This will help you to improve quicker.
- Push-ups: Push-ups are great to build strength and endurance.
What is Boxing and how does it work?
Boxing is a sport that involves two people who try to knock each other out by hitting them in the head and face. The goal of boxing, is to strike your opponent as hard as you can without causing injury. To achieve this, both boxers should be able to throw punches with high velocity. They should also have excellent hand-eye coordination.
Statistics
- This article received 39 testimonials and 89% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. (wikihow.com)
- It is just like normal sparring with a partner, but you want to throw punches at 75% of your normal speed. (wikihow.com)
External Links
en.wikipedia.org
expertboxing.com
How To
These are the basic skills of boxing
How to effectively box
Boxing is a popular sport. It consists of two opponents who try to knock out each other’s head. Different countries have different rules. There are three types: Amateur, Professional, or Olympic boxing.
Amateur boxing is often practiced at school, college, or university. This type of boxing includes sparring sessions with padded gloves and without any protection. Amateur boxing contests are usually three rounds in length, lasting five minutes each. Amateur boxing can be done in many styles, including Kickboxing and Muay Thai, Taekwondo or Karate, Judo, Wrestling, and Muay Thai.
Boxing professionals are usually trained in clubs, gyms, or stadiums. They are equipped with protective equipment including a mouthpiece and nose guard, shinguards as well as elbow pads, knee pads. Waist belts and groin protectors. Professional boxing competitions have six rounds that last four minutes each. There are many types of professional boxing. These include Boxing (MMA), Kickboxing (Mixed Martial Arts), Muay Thai and Taekwondo.
Olympic boxing takes place at the Olympics. Boxers are required to wear international standards-compliant protective gear. The competition lasts eight rounds of three minutes each. Olympic boxing has only two styles, Light Flyweight vs Heavyweight.
Boxing’s fundamental skills are:
- Punching techniques
- Techniques for protecting yourself
- Footwork
- Stance
- Moving your body
- Defense
- Combination
- Rotation
- Spare parts
Punching Techniques
There are seven types of punches available: Left Hook and Right Hook, Cross, Cross, Straight, Underhand, Overhand, Cross, Straight, Cross, Straight, Cross, Straight, and Overhand. Each punch is unique. Some punches require greater strength than others. A strong uppercut for example requires a lot of force. On the contrary, a straight punch takes less power but is faster than most punches.
There are also different combinations. These are combinations made up of several punches that can be used together to achieve one goal. One combination can have many parts. For example, a combination of a left and right hook will result in damage to the opponent’s jaw.
Guard Techniques
Boxers protect themselves by protecting their bodies. He does this by using his legs.
Legs
A boxer must use his legs to defend against kicks. After receiving a kick, he will raise his leg and move away from the attacker. If the attacker is coming from the front, he will bend at the knees to avoid getting kicked on either side. However, if the attack comes from behind, he stands up straight and blocks the kick with his foot.
Elbows
Because elbow strikes inflict a lot of pain, they are very effective. You can either deliver an elbow strike directly, or indirectly. Directly means that your opponent is hit with your forearm. However, indirectly means that your elbow strike is delivered with another part or your arm.
Hands
Boxers use the power of their hands to block any incoming blows. Boxers raise their fists to block incoming blows and then move in the direction of the attacker’s attack. The attacker’s fist is then in their face.
Knees
Boxers should bend their knees when receiving blows to the abdomen, stomach, or chest. For defense purposes, knee strikes are common.
Feet
When attacked, a boxer should step back and deliver counter-attacks. This allows him to put distance between himself, his opponent, and the ring. Also, boxers must maintain their balance while delivering counter-attacks.
Stances
Boxing effectively requires a boxer to have a good stance. His stance determines how he defends himself. It defines where he faces his opponent and how he positions his body. There are many positions that boxers can adopt. Here are some of the most common ones:
- A low stance
- High stance
- Southpaw stance
- Western stance
The Body Movement
A boxer must be able to move around his opponent in order to win a fight. This involves changing positions, speed, rhythm and timing.
Rotation
To increase his punching power, a boxer rotates when he throws a punch. The rotation is done at different speeds depending on the type of punch.
Combinations
The timing of each punch determines the effectiveness of a combination. A combination that is effective starts with a strong punch, and ends with one that is weak.
Spares
Sparring is a practice session designed to improve boxing skills . During sparring sessions, a boxer trains his mind as well as his body. Sparring, in conclusion, is about learning how to fight and not getting hurt.
In conclusion, learning to box requires dedication and patience. To be a better boxer you need to train hard.
