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Tyson Fury On His Suicide Attempt, Addiction, And Depression Struggles

Tyson Fury On His Suicide Attempt, Addiction, And Depression Struggles

It's been a long journey back for the former champ, but he seems to be getting there.

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

It's no secret that Tyson Fury endured some dark days on his way to returning to professional boxing. Now, he's revealed to an American podcast that he came within moments of taking his own life by driving his Ferrari sports car at a bridge at high speed.

Fury was speaking on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast and spoke candidly about his descent into substance misuse and depression following his triumphant victory against Wladimir Klitschko back in 2015 that saw him crowned as the world heavyweight champion.

He told Rogan that within a very short time the high of mastering his chosen sport had turned to despair.

PA

Fury said: "I hit the drink, I hit the drugs and I was out all night with the women of the night.

"I just wanted to die, and I wanted to have fun doing it. But when the drink wears off it just leaves you with a bad hangover and even worse depression.

"When you have a goal in mind from being a child - and you achieve it... I was lost, I didn't know what to do.

"When I was an amateur I used to watch Wladimir Klitschko on TV and he was my target, when I beat him, that was my Everest.

"I tried retiring, but it wasn't enough. I tried golfing, clay pigeon shooting, 4x4ing, strip clubs but I had an emptiness inside."

He continued: "I had never taken a drug until I was 27; cocaine was the usual one, cocaine and alcohol. I look back on it now and I think, 'would I change that?' But I wouldn't, I wouldn't change a thing because I knew it had to happen."

Fury went on to explain that things became so bad that he attempted to take his own life by driving off a bridge at 190mph

Fury said: "I was waking up and didn't want to be alive i was making everyone's life a misery; no-one could talk any sense into me at all.

"I would get very, very low at times and start thinking these crazy thoughts. I bought a brand-new Ferrari convertible in the summer of 2016.

"I was in it on the highway and at the bottom, I got the car up to 190mph and heading towards a bridge.

"I didn't care about nothing, I just wanted to die so bad. I gave up on life but as I was heading to the bridge I heard a voice saying, 'No don't do this Tyson. Think about your kids, your family, your sons and daughter growing up without a dad.'

"Before i turned into the bridge I pulled on to the motorway, I didn't know what to do, I was shaking, I was so afraid.

"I said I'd never think about taking my own life again."

From then on Fury resolved to make his comeback. He sought professional help for his addiction and mental health issues and has fought his way back into contention for world titles once more. He will take on American WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in December.

He also spoke of the faith in God that he credits for giving him the strength to continue.

PA

Fury explained: "I sought help from a psychiatrist and she told me that I was an imminent death risk.

"I was out at Halloween in 2017 dressed as a skeleton but i was 29 and everyone was younger and i thought, 'is this what I want from my life?'

"No matter how many people told me before that I needed to change my life, I didn't know it."

"I left early and went home into a dark room, took the skeleton suit off and I prayed to God to help me. I'd never begged to God to help me. I could feel tears running down my chest, I knew I couldn't do it on my own.

"I almost accepted that being an alcoholic was my fate but after praying for 10 minutes, I got up I felt the weight was lifted off my shoulders. For the first time in my life i thought I was going to be ok."

PA

Win or lose on December 1st in Los Angeles, Fury already appears to have won a larger battle.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: SPORT, Tyson Fury, U Ok M8?, Boxing, Addiction, Deontay Wilder