Heavyweight boxing champ Tyson Fury admits to cocaine, booze binge, and depression
LONDON - Troubled heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury says he has been bingeing on cocaine and alcohol to deal with manic depression.
The British boxer has not fought since beating Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015 to claim the WBA, WBO and IBF titles.
A rematch with Klitschko was postponed for a second time last month after Fury was declared “medically unfit.”
Fury spoke of his “personal demons” in a rambling interview with Rolling Stone .
He is quoted as saying: “I’m a manic depressive. I just hope someone kills me before I kill myself.”
The 6-foot-9-inch, 250-pound champ says he quit his training camp in the Netherlands in May and has been on a downward spiral since.
He comes from a family of Irish Travelers, the name widely used for Gypsies in the U.K. and made famous by the Brad Pitt character in the movie “Snatch.” Fury has repeatedly complained about discrimination because of his heritage.
“It’s been a witch hunt ever since I won that world title,” Fury told Rolling Stone, “because of my background, because of who I am and what I do – there’s hatred for Travelers and gypsies around the world.”
He says “I’ve been out drinking, Monday to Friday to Sunday” and “I’ve taken drugs, cocaine, on many, many occasions for the last six months.”
Fury took the boxing world by storm recently, playing up heavily his roots as a Gypsy and a descendant of a bare-knuckle boxing champion.
He has often complained that his heritage has led to widespread discrimination by fans and sporting officials.
He has also taken his colorful persona to craft a large social media following, including making references to cocaine, accusing boxing of corruption, and playing up his Gypsy roots in his Twitter feed.