Tyson Fury: 'I Prayed to God to Kill Me' After Becoming Undisputed Champion
While speaking with ESPN's Jeremy Schaap on an E:60 special, Tyson Fury shared how his mental health declined after defeating Wladimir Klitschko to become the undisputed heavyweight champion and how he felt he was "robbed" in his draw against Deontay Wilder in December.
Fury took down Klitschko in November 2015 to claim the IBF, IBA, WBO and WBC heavyweight titles. But in the aftermath of becoming the champion, he shot up to 400 pounds and started drinking heavily and using cocaine as he dealt with depression.
"It doesn't get any darker than not wanting to live," Fury told Schaap. "That's as dark as it can go I suppose. And that's where I was at in my life. I prayed to God to kill me. I'd wake up in the morning and I'd say, 'Why did I wake up again? Why am I back in this place I don't want to be?'"
Fury explained how "nobody" outside his immediate family "will ever really know how far I came back" to get back in the ring and near the top of the heavyweight division.
During his absence from the ring, he was stripped of all his titles.
Fury also explained how he felt he was "robbed" in his fight against Wilder on Dec. 1, 2018, saying he feels he won 10 of the 12 rounds, losing only the two rounds he was knocked out.
"If I lost to Deontay Wilder, I'd say, 'Fair play Deontay, you beat me.' No chance," Fury told Schaap. "I won the fight, 10 rounds to two, but I get a draw. Which only adds cayenne pepper to my story. Because it makes it more watchable, more controversial. After everything I've been through, they robbed me of the biggest comeback in boxing history."
Fury added that he would beat Wilder "seven days a week and twice on a Sunday."
Last month, Wilder tweeted that he has set up a rematch with Fury, reportedly scheduled to take place in 2020.
Fury's next match will be on Saturday against Tom Schwarz.
