By Tim Parsons-
Former heavyweight world champion, Tyson Fury, has admitted acting out controversial roles in an attempt to catch publicity, and after a whole could not distinguish between the act and the reality.
The unbeaten fighter who is currently on a book tour ahead of the release of his autobiography Behind the Mask, out tomorrow goes into great detail in revealing the psychological state behind some of his controversial outbursts in the past.
Unbeaten in 30 fights, Fury has been on the receiving end of criticism from this publication for some of his below the mark attacks, to the extent of some members of our thinktank who belong to pressure groups rapping the General Secretary of the British Boxing Board Of Controls for an alleged weakness in keeping Fury in check.
RACISM AGAINST TRAVELLERS
In his book, he says : “I went into the paid ranks off the back of an amateur career during which I was aware of racism against travellers.
“This made me an outsider and so I felt that for me to get the attention I needed to be an attraction in the sport, I had to play the outlaw.
“I confess I didn’t react as I should have done and I regret how I came across at times.
“I was angry and felt under-appreciated.”
He says this is what prompted his controversial comments about paedophiles and homosexuals, which prompted a huge backlash.
Fury, 31, who has battled drug addiction, also made sexist statements about women.
He said: “I felt I had to act out a role to seek publicity and to do that I had to be controversial and shock people with how I talked.”To some degree it worked. But playing the role got to the point where I didn’t know what was real and what was the act.”
BREAKDOWN
Fury, who claims to have suffered a breakdown after his win in Düsseldorf, was heavily criticised for highly charged controversial words he made in relation to women and gays. He said: “I’m not sexist. I believe a woman’s best place is in the kitchen and on her back. That’s my personal belief. Making me a good cup of tea, that’s what I believe.”
He also said in an interview it would only take the legalisation of paedophilia in addition to the decriminalisation of homosexuality and abortion to see “the devil come home”.
His words led to more than 140,000 people signing a petition for him to be removed from the shortlist for the BBC Sport’s Personality of the Year award.
“I confess I didn’t react as I should have done and I regret how I came across at times,” he says in his ‘Behind The Mask’ autobiography, which will be published on Thursday.
“I was angry and felt under-appreciated.”
Fury said he had a mental breakdown after winning his fight against Ukrainian legend Wlaidmir Klitschko in 2015 amid his ongoing battle with bipolar and OCD conditions.
It was after that stunning win that his life unravelled in a downward spiral as he spent 30 months outside of the ring.
He said: “I started playing this part, being arrogant and cocky.
“I eventually lost myself in this character.
“When I started out as a pro, I made a decision which on reflection played a big part in exacerbating my moments of despair.”