Tyson Fury wants the NHS and frontline workers to receive greater recognition
For Tyson Fury, not much has changed.
Britain’s world heavyweight champion has been locked away at his Morecambe home, spending repetitive days with his family – and that’s just how he likes it.
Routine has become imperative for Fury in his battle with mental health problems, so he’s not yearning for reckless celebration when restrictions on daily life are eased following the coronavirus.
“First thing I’ll do? To be honest, and truthful with you, my life is like a lockdown anyway, whether it’s lockdown or not.”
Fury is still maintaining a regular fitness regime
A trip to the local leisure centre for a workout would be first on the list for Fury, who still manages to train three times a day, along with his morning workout sessions on Instagram, with wife Paris and his various children, watched by a large online following.
“It gives me something to get up for in the morning, to look forward to, to inspire others. Just imagine people who are in high-rise buildings and people who haven’t got a garden and stuff, who can’t get out and exercise.”
Even months after his world title win over Deontay Wilder, Fury could still be in the midst of a media whirlwind, but now ‘The Gypsy King’ only has the audience of his loved ones.
“Interview here, interview there and I wouldn’t have no time with my family, so this time for me, although it’s been a negative time, I’ve taken quite a lot of positives out of it as well.
“Sometimes we get caught up in the rat race and caught up in life. We don’t really take time to appreciate the things that we’re lucky to do on a daily basis, like go out and roam around, and be free and do what we want to do.
“All that sort of stuff, we take for granted, and we’re always in a mindset where we always want more.
“We never stop, take a minute to look around and be thankful for what we do have. I’ve been banging this drum for years about being thankful for what we do have, the small things in life.”
Fury’s thoughts are far removed from boxing, he doesn’t even want to discuss his WBC title triumph over Wilder, nor potential rivals. He is more concerned with championing the efforts of the NHS and frontline workers who risk their lives in a bid to diminish the ongoing pandemic.
“The NHS are saving thousands of people on a daily basis, but you know you’ve got your other community service people who work for the community.
“You’ve got the police, you’ve got the fire brigade, you’ve got the bin men, you’ve got the local councillors. You’ve got all these people who are very busy, doing day-to-day stuff that we take for granted again.
All my applause and respect goes out to these people, because they are saving tons and tons of lives on a daily basis and putting their own lives in jeopardy.
Tyson Fury
“The NHS are doing a fantastic job for the country. All my applause and respect goes out to these people, because they are saving tons and tons of lives on a daily basis and putting their own lives in jeopardy. I think they all need honouring from the Queen, like MBEs and stuff.”
Fury has learned not to take anything in life for granted. His battle with depression is well documented. It will “never go away” concedes Fury, but he has learnt how to manage it.
More than ever, vulnerable members of society need support, and Fury wants to play his own part, whether it’s assisting his own Morecambe community or providing more far-reaching words of guidance.
“I’ve been doing bits and pieces, like around the local area, asking people if they need anything and stuff like that.
“A time of need, we all unite, and we all show that there is a lot of love and care for each other and our fellow human beings out there.
“Never mind around Morecambe, there are a few people around the world who take advice. Everybody needs advice and help now and again, even myself, everybody.”
But Fury has retained his playful sense of humour, jokingly agreeing that his younger brother, Tommy, a runner-up on ‘Love Island’ might have enjoyed greater success if he had taken part in this year’s series, which could be staged on a less glamorous location in the UK.
“Well, if we had the weather, I think he would be even more of a hit, wouldn’t he.”
A few months after being carried to the ring in Las Vegas, wearing robes and a crown, Fury has forgotten all about his role as boxing royalty. His Easter weekend featured an array of chocolate eggs, along with a mammoth take away order. He is still the king, after all.
But don’t suggest that other sport stars are far removed from Fury, because he would not agree with you. Footballers have come under scrutiny, despite donating a portion of their wages to aid the medical effort, and Fury believes they are no different to himself, albeit that he offers a little more access to his life.
“I’m not too certain that they can’t relate to footballers and whoever else, because we’re all only human beings, at the end of the day. We all start in the same place and we all finish the same place.
“All these inspirational people, footballers, all these sporting stars, they all start somewhere. People can take inspiration by these people, because they were all normal people at one stage, and they worked hard, or they came successful at what they do.
“I’m not trying to be someone flash or whatever, I’m just me. At the end of the day, I’m still the same person who’s achieved all the right things in my sport and whatever, and gone on to do well, with the dedication and sacrifice of my entire life.
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“Day to day stuff I put out there on Instagram and stuff like that, so maybe people can see more of me doing those things than other people, but I would like to believe that everyone in the world is doing the same things every day. We’re all only humans, whether we’re sport stars or we’re not.”
Fury is not about to change his weekly regime or his honest outlook but admits we may never have the same sense of normality. He will eventually go back to his day job, an expected third fight with Wilder, but have we learnt anything new in those weeks locked away?
“I’d like to think so. I’d like to think we’re not going to go back to how we were before. I would like to think we’ll go back and be better than we were before.”