Tag Archives: depression

Posted on 10/26/2018

By: Sean Crose

I had the hunger to beat Wladimir Klitscko,” Tyson Fury told Joe Rogan on Thursday, “but not to carry on and continue.” Fury, who is training to face WBC champ Deontay Wilder on December 1st at the Staples Center in Las Angeles, was a guest on Rogan’s popular podcast for over a full hour. During the lengthy conversation he discussed beating Klitschko, his battles with mental illness and addiction, and of course Deontay Wilder. Fury was the toast of the fight game after he stunned Kltischko to win the heavyweight title back in 2015. After that, however, the Englishman’s life spiraled out of control.

“I was depressed as depressed can be on a daily basis,” he said. “It just went from bad to worse.” Fans of the fight game are familiar with Fury’s spectacular fall from on high. Within a short time, he went from heavyweight king to former champ. What’s more, Fury’s emotional issues seemed to have clearly gotten the best of him after a certain point. “I hit the drink heavily on a daily basis,” he said. “I hit the drugs. I was out all night partying with women of the night, just coming home.” Things were so bad that Fury wanted out on life. “I just wanted to die, and I was going to have a good time doing it.”

After nearly intentionally killing himself in his vehicle and having a moment of realization, Tyson attempted to turn his life around. “You can only change your life if you want to change it,” he told Rogan. Crediting his faith in God, Fury is now engaged in prepping for what is surely a lucrative (and perhaps career defining) battle with Wilder, a fighter about as colorful as he is. Still quick with a wise crack, Fury joked about the WBC champions’ awkward style. “It reminds me of Bambi on ice,” he quipped. Still, he admitted to admiring Wilder for being willing to take on the big challenges.

“He could have picked much easier opponents and made similar money,” said Fury in his British accent. “I take me hat off to him.” Unlike many in the fight game, Fury was also quick to praise Widler’s team, which of course, includes the enigmatic and often maligned Al Haymon. “They were the most fairest most straight going people I ever worked with,” he said outright. “There was no hard negotiations. It was very, very simple.” Fury didn’t have such kind words for the team of heavyweight kingpin Anthony Joshua. According to Fury, Wilder’s camp offered “Joshuas team 80 million dollars for a 2 fight deal…and they declined that.” Fury then made it clear that his words were more than just gossip. “My lawyer, Robert Davis, he saw proof of funds from Al Haymon,” he told Rogan.

Although he was critical of both Joshua and Wilder, Fury showed on the podcast that he can be self critical, as well – or at least honest regarding himself. “My biggest fight in my whole career,” he said of his battle with Klitchko, “was a twelve round snooze fest. I’m man enough to say that.” Fury also credited Steve Cunningham, who he faced in his American debut, as being his most difficult opponent to date. “I’m not going to make any excuses,” he told Rogan. “Steven Cunningham was a better boxer than me.”

In the end, of course, Fury was able to rise to the occasion and defeat Cunningham. He plans to continue rising to the occasion. “The way to beat mental health is setting goals,” he said, “giving yourself short term and long term goals.”

Posted on 10/05/2016

How Should Boxing Fans (And The Media) Deal With The Tyson Fury Situation?
By: Sean Crose

As most fight fans know, Tyson Fury has had a wild past few days. And by wild, I don’t mean of the good time variety. Indeed, the heavyweight kingpin has dropped out of his rematch against Wladimir Klitschko, been outed for testing positive for coke, retired, un-retired, then given a disturbing interview for Rolling Stone Magazine. For the record, I confess to not finishing the interview. The portion I read went from Fury blaming others to Fury pretty much admitting he’s in a world of hurt to Fury claiming he wants to die…and perhaps not necessarily in that order. Forgive me for not completing it.

I’ve noticed this morning that there’s some hard cases out there telling everyone else to shut up about Fury’s condition because, well, not everyone is a doctor. While that might be true, the fact remains that we have eyes to read with and ears to hear with. One simply doesn’t need an advanced degree to pinpoint when a man is obviously going through one hell of hard time. What should those of us who love boxing do with this unsettling situation, however?

Ignore it? Sorry, but it’s kind of hard to ignore the top heavyweight fighter in the world spiraling out of control. Harp on it? I personally don’t think that does anyone any good, either. Let’s not forget the man has a wife and three young children. Yet the general media – as thoroughly unsavory and dishonorable as it can be – has a job to do. Again, this is one of the top athletes in the world we’re talking about here. One simply can’t close one’s eyes and ears while claiming to take the moral high road if one has a perfectly reasonable job requirement to fulfill.

What I think can be accomplished here – and no, it won’t be easy – is for fans and media alike to walk a kind of tightrope. Right now, for instance, we have a heavyweight champion showing self-abusive and erratic behavior. Maybe, just maybe, we don’t have to harp on every instance of “crazy” that comes down the pike from here on in. Perhaps – and, again, I don’t pretend to have the answers here – we can focus on the Tyson Fury saga as it actually develops rather than when it essentially lies dormant.

Such things like Fury losing his titles or completing a stint in rehab would, of course, make the story fluid. As things stand at the moment, however – it’s late Wednesday morning – the story is now stagnant. In other words, we’re just getting more of the same. When something major happens, then we have a right to focus on it. Until then, however, maybe we can keep it all bare bones. They question of what will happen with Fury’s title belts, for instance, is a perfectly legitimate story at this point. As is the future of the heavyweight division – especially regarding Kltischko. The other stuff, however, may be best placed on the back burner for the moment.

One more quick thing:

This shit ain’t funny. Seriously. I know the “party hard” crowd loves to laugh at things like the picture Fury put out there of himself as Al Pacino in “Scarface,” but there’s a tragic element here that undermines whatever humor might be found. If you find this entire situation to be comical, if you think everyone just needs to lighten up, then perhaps you yourself just need to grow up.

Also, Fury deserves our empathy at the moment. Sorry, but I’m not connecting with those “who just don’t feel that bad” for the guy right now because he’s offensive. Might I suggest that such people put their own personal feelings aside for the moment – as well as the feelings of those they’re so sure have been gravely hurt by Fury’s words – and try to find the person beneath the monster they think they see before them. The dude ain’t Hitler. Nor is he Bin Laden, Darth Maul or any other figure who makes for a hyperbolic comparison.

And this is a serious situation we’re watching unfold here.

Posted on 09/25/2016

Silence of the Fury
By: Ron Scarfone

The rematch of Wladimir Klitschko and Tyson Fury has been cancelled due to Fury’s medical condition. According to Fury’s promoter Mick Hennessy, Fury was “declared medically unfit to fight.” At the time Hennessy made this statement, he did not disclose the medical concern. However, it was later revealed that the issue was Fury’s mental health. Fury defeated Klitschko on November 28, 2015 and won world heavyweight titles from the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO. Klitschko had been a world champion for many years and the loss to Fury was Klitschko’s first since 2004. In spite of the historic win by Fury, he has not been as celebrated as he anticipated. Fury had the height, reach, and age advantages against Klitschko. Fury won by unanimous decision, but his reign as a world champion may be coming to an end without a title defense. The IBF title was stripped from Fury about two weeks after he defeated Klitschko because he signed a contract to fight Klitschko in a rematch instead of facing Vyacheslav Glazkov who was the IBF’s mandatory challenger for its world heavyweight title. As a result, Glazkov fought Charles Martin for the vacant IBF title. Martin defeated Glazkov by TKO and won the vacant IBF title. Martin’s first title defense was against Anthony Joshua. Joshua won by KO against Martin. Joshua is still the IBF heavyweight champion. Joshua and Fury are both from the United Kingdom. Klitschko is from Ukraine.

Fury was originally scheduled to fight Klitschko in July, but the fight was postponed due to Fury having an ankle injury. The fight was then rescheduled for October 29, but it is now cancelled in light of the recent news about Fury’s mental condition. It has been reported that Fury has suffered from depression. Klitschko made a statement on video in response to Fury pulling out of the rematch again: “As you already know, October 29th revenge against Fury is cancelled due to whatever issue this time Fury has. Screw it. I will move forward and I will keep you posted when and against whom my next fight is going to be staged. I will rely on information from the sanctioning bodies how they will move on with the titles that currently Fury has. I will keep you posted.” He probably does not need to. We will surely know if and when one or more of the sanctioning bodies chooses to strip Fury of the title(s). The WBA and WBO may strip Fury of their titles if he is inactive for more than one year which will be in a couple of months because he last fought in November 2015. If Fury is stripped, then the WBA and WBO titles would become vacant. Fury is receiving no sympathy from Klitschko or WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder of the United States. Wilder stated on Twitter that it is sad to see a champion unfit to perform due to no self discipline. Wilder seems to think that Fury is not in the proper physical condition due to lack of training. However, Klitschko is definitely in shape and Fury would have likely lost if he was not at his best physically and mentally for the rematch.

History probably would have repeated itself if the Klitschko vs. Fury rematch occurred. In February 1978, Leon Spinks defeated Muhammad Ali by split decision and won the WBC and WBA world heavyweight titles. Ali was an aging champion who was not fully prepared for Spinks who was younger and in his prime. Spinks also trained harder than Ali. Ali was much more motivated in his training for the rematch which was seven months later in September 1978. Spinks did not seem to be as physically prepared as he was in their first fight. Ali won the rematch by unanimous decision which was the last win of his pro career. Spinks beat a legend in Ali, but his glory was short lived. It is probable that the same thing would have happened to Fury if he did not pull out of the rematch. Fame can be fleeting and there are other challengers besides Klitschko who are very capable of defeating Fury if they had a shot at his titles. Fury may have no titles left by December if the sanctioning bodies strip him after a year of inactivity. If the WBA and WBO strip Fury of their titles, it is likely that the IBO will too because they want to continue collecting sanctioning fees and it is unclear when Fury will return to the ring. Fury may never return and could retire. He has talked about retiring before, so this would not be unexpected.

In 1994, Lennox Lewis agreed to fight Riddick Bowe the following year. Nevertheless, Lewis first had to defeat Oliver McCall in a mandatory defense of his WBC heavyweight title. Lewis may have been focused on his future opponent Bowe rather than on McCall. McCall won by TKO and Lewis had his first pro defeat. The rematch happened about three years later in 1997. It was one of the most bizarre fights in boxing history. In the third round, McCall was being pummeled by Lewis. After the third round, McCall did not return to his corner. In round four, McCall had his arms down and he was not defending himself. McCall walked around the ring. Lewis was so perplexed at McCall’s behavior that Lewis was not throwing punches even though he could have. Referee Mills Lane intervened and paused the fight to see if McCall was okay. He then allowed the fight to continue, but McCall was still acting strange. After the fourth round, McCall again walked around and did not return to his corner. In round five, Lewis was doing all the punching and McCall was content to just try to defend himself occasionally. After McCall walked away from Lewis, Mills Lane had seen enough. This time, Lewis defeated McCall by TKO after Lane stopped the fight. McCall then cried. It was obvious that someone in that mental condition should not have been permitted to fight, but the fight could not have been cancelled unless it was known that there was a problem. McCall was able to recover and fought for many more years until 2014.

People will question if Fury can overcome his mental condition and if he will continue to fight. Some people live with depression all their lives and it can be a chronic disease that never goes away completely. There are people who have dysthymia which is a mild depression, but it can still have an adverse effect on people’s lives. The sanctioning bodies will probably wait before making any decision on Fury’s status as world champion. Any impulsive decision now against Fury would seem insensitive considering the circumstances. However, eventually the show must go on.

Klitschko deserves a title shot soon, but it is not going to be easy for Klitschko to win against the other world champions. Joshua and Wilder are undefeated and in their primes. Even though Fury is the WBA “super” heavyweight champion, Luis Ortiz who is originally from Cuba is the interim WBA heavyweight champion. Ortiz is 37 years old, but he is an undefeated southpaw with knockout power. Klitschko could fight WBC Silver heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin of Russia, but this is considered to be a minor title and Klitschko may only want belts of the highest level. Klitschko defeated Povetkin by unanimous decision in 2013.

Critics of Klitschko have waited for the day that he would be dethroned. The vanquisher of the 40-year-old Klitschko also has his critics. Fury may not get a rematch against Klitschko if he comes back. Klitschko may be retired by then. Klitschko may lose to one of the other world champions. Perhaps the fans will get what they want and we will see all the world titles unified. A tournament involving WBC champ Wilder, IBF champ Joshua, interim WBA champ Ortiz, and former champ Klitschko would create a lot of interest. If this were to happen, the WBO and IBO would probably want to be involved as well. In a couple of months, the sanctioning bodies would be within their right to strip Fury due to inactivity. The WBA would probably want their “super” world title that Fury has to be involved in a unification tournament too. Will the WBA elevate Ortiz from interim to “super” champion? Will any of the sanctioning bodies allow Fury to remain a world champion when he has more than a year of inactivity at the end of November? It will be interesting to see what happens. Fury has publicly stated that he is motivated to box solely for the money and that he hates training. When a world champion shares views like that with the world, he is going to have critics. For now though, the usually talkative Fury is silent. We know based on what he said in the past that his fury, his passion for boxing, is also silent.