Tyson Fury explains how mental health battles will give him an edge over Deontay Wilder
Briton is eschewing professional help despite struggles during his training camp
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Your support makes all the difference.Tyson Fury has decided to eschew professional help despite revealing he has battled against suicidal thoughts on a weekly basis during training camp.
The 6ft 9in heavyweight is currently putting the finishing touches on his preparation for his highly anticipated rematch with Deontay Wilder on 22 February in Las Vegas.
He has once again based himself only a short drive away from the MGM Grand where the fight takes place but says he has had to battle against mental demons, particularly during his downtime.
Fury has previously suffered well-documented problems with his mental health, which left him battling addiction problems and regular thoughts of suicide.
The undefeated 31-year-old has told a number of outlets that similar thoughts have returned during this training camp with his rest day, Sunday, proving particularly hard to handle.
But, when asked whether such problems have tempted him to seek medical advice, Fury said: “I just get through it on my own.
“I know Monday is around the corner. Every Sunday is a disaster, I hate Sundays for some reason.
“It’s the only day I get off. I became a workaholic, a gym junkie, but I take Sundays off. It’s a slow, long day for me so I like to keep busy.
“I don’t do anything between training sessions. I wake up in the morning and have my breakfast, go to the gym, come back and relax. At 4 o’clock again I go back to the gym whether it’s boxing or strength and conditioning work.
“After that I come home, have my tea, get an early night and go to bed. Early to bed, early to rise.”
Fury thinks that his mental battle in training camp will actually give him the edge over WBC heavyweight champion Wilder, who has been able to enjoy his home comforts back in Tuscaloosa, Alabama throughout his own preparation.
While Wilder has been able to base himself at his multimillion-dollar mansion alongside his wife and four children, Fury has had to leave wife Paris and five kids behind in Morecambe.
“I put myself through this because I want to give myself the best chance of success,” Fury added. “People have been going away to training camps for hundreds of years.
“Deontay Wilder is training at home with his family, sleeping at night with his wife and kids. He’s living at home in his lovely place looking over a lake. I’ve taken myself away to a hole in the desert and 10 weeks away from my family.
“I’ve not done anything I shouldn’t have, I’ve done everything correct. He is fighting a different animal. He’s at home in daddy mode talking to his kids every day and being all nicey nice with his wife. I haven’t.
“I’ve had to put myself through hell and back. It’s going to pay off on the night.”
And the self-anointed Gypsy King insists that he will get the job done inside the distance after the pair drew at the T-Mobile Arena back on 1 December 2018.
Although he was dropped twice during the contest, many people thought Fury had done enough to get the decision and he is adamant he will not leave it down to the judges this time around.
“I’m not really concerned about points,” he said. “I’m looking for a knockout. Anyone who thinks Deontay Wilder can’t get knocked out is an idiot. I’m going to make him quit.
“What we did last time was fantastic, but it didn’t get me the victory. I’ve got to knock this guy out. Simple as. Camp has been very difficult, physically.
“Everyone’s going to be shocked in this fight. I’m going to knock him out.”
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