In less than a month, Tyson Fury is going to embark on the biggest challenge of his life when he faces Oleksandr Usyk once again for a chance at redemption as he challenges for the unified heavyweight title this time around. The rematch is now finally upon us, and the Gypsy King will give his all to reclaim his once proudly held throne.

However, given the downward spiral that the Morecambe native was on a few months ago after his loss in May, it is a miracle that he is even challenging for the world title. Tyson Fury has been open about his post-title win depression after defeating Wladimir Klitschko in 2015. His reemergence back then was a testament to his resilience which tells—you can never count the 36-year-old out of any fight.

With another mountain to climb in front of him, DAZN Sports reposted a clip from a short documentary that was released just before the first Usyk-Fury fight. The clip featured various boxing pros talking about Tyson Fury’s downward spiral in 2015 and how he resurrected himself back from the spiral to shock everyone.

When the Gypsy King abandoned his throne

DAZN recently reshared a clip from their ‘Road to Undisputed’ documentary, which was made in the lead-up to the clash for the undisputed heavyweight title between the two. In the clip, while talking about Fury’s past battles with depression, boxing analyst Ade Olapido explained, “The biggest problem for Tyson Fury is that when he came back to England, he didn’t get the love that he probably thought he was going to get,” referring to his victory against Klitschko in Germany in 2015.

Tyson Fury dethroning Wladimir Klitschko and stopping his almost decade-long streak played a major role in The Gypsy King’s ruined mental health. As he became the world champion and achieved what he had always dreamt of, he felt purposeless.

The hopelessness forced Tyson Fury to turn towards substance abuse as a coping mechanism. Former WBO Heavyweight Champion Joseph Parker stated that he didn’t believe that the Morecambe native would ever be back. He recounted, “After going through what he went through, the d***s and alcohol and putting on all the weight. No one believed he would come back.”

It was not only outsiders who were worried and scared for the former unified heavyweight champion. His brother, Roman Fury, also looked back at the time, explaining how scared he was for his brother. “It was very frightening to see how big he got, weight-wise, and the other things he was doing,” claimed the younger sibling.

It was also the time when Fury was losing all his credibility in the boxing world. Matchroom head honcho, Eddie Hearn, recalled that he wanted to sign Tyson Fury. However, after seeing his condition, he was adamant that the 6’9 giant would never reach the same heights again. “I met Tyson Fury in Monaco to sign him, about, five years ago and he was 25, 26 stone. He was sweating, and I thought to myself, you will never get back to elite level in the heavyweight division,” recalled Hearn saying to himself.

However, there was one person who took the gamble on a beaten Tyson Fury and changed his life, Frank Warren. Warren not only signed the Morecambe native under his Queensberry Promotions banner but also gave him a platform to make his grand comeback.

Tyson Fury’s Inspiring comeback

With a distraught look on his face, Warren reminisced about the time when he signed Tyson Fury. He recounted, “I could see it in his eyes that he wanted it. And I thought if I can get him the opportunities. I believe he could win, win the world title. I genuinely believed that,” while explaining his experience with the 34-1-1 boxer.

Tyson Fury signed with Queensberry Promotions back in 2018, and since then he has not looked back. Warren orchestrated Fury’s comeback fight, more than 2 years after his unofficial retirement, against Sefer Seferi in June 2018. Following that, Warren was instrumental in organizing the historic trilogy against Deontay Wilder. A saga that propelled Fury to the top of the heavyweight division once again.

Furthermore, the English promoter has also supported his boxer outside the ring. He has been a steadfast supporter, always beside him, even during his battle against mental health. Warren has repeatedly praised Tyson Fury for his determination to overcome his struggles and rebuild his career.

Once again, as Tyson Fury steps into the ring, it will not only be against Oleksandr Usyk. But he will also face all the demons that he has kept at bay for a very long time. So, no matter if he wins or loses, it will be another inspirational chapter in The Gypsy King’s story. Although, he would surely like to win back his titles.

What are your views on Tyson Fury’s battle against depression? Let us know your thoughts down below.