"It was like a curse" – Tyson Fury laments 2015 victory over Wladimir Klitschko
Tyson Fury doesn't have fond memories of his victory over Wladimir Klitschko.
In 2015, 'The Gypsy King' traveled to Germany to face 'Dr. Steelhammer'. While Fury is a massive star these days, he was seen as little more than a heavyweight prospect when he got the title shot.
At the time, the Ukrainian was one of the greatest pound-for-pound boxers on the planet. Klitschko was undefeated for 11 years when the bout took place. Prior to the fight, the champion was massively favored to retain his title.
Instead, the Brit pulled off an incredible upset. Fury dazzled fans with his incredible speed and defensive skills, ultimately pulling off a unanimous decision win. While that would be the peak of many boxers' lives, it felt like a curse for the Manchester native.
Following that victory, Tyson Fury went down a spiral of drug abuse and mental illness, forcing him to step away from the ring for years. In an interview on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, the reigning WBC Heavyweight Champion reflected on the win. Fury stated:
“I think it was a s*** night, to be honest. I think it was like a curse. It’s been a pretty shi**y seven years since. It was a pretty fantastic 27 years leading to it... I never really wanted all the fame and hype that comes with being the champion. That wasn’t what I was about."
Fury went on:
"I got everything I wanted by beating Klitschko, just getting that victory over him. You don’t own your own life anymore. You can’t go anywhere. You can’t live a normal life."
Can’t stop thinking about this answer from Tyson Fury yesterday. https://t.co/QY5XIs0I5a
Did Tyson Fury rematch Wladimir Klitschko?
Tyson Fury never had a rematch with Wladimir Klitschko.
Following the upset, 'Dr. Steelhammer' used his rematch clause to run back the fight. After months of back-and-forth, the rematch was announced for July 2016 in Manchester.
'The Gypsy King' would later withdraw from the rematch, citing an ankle injury. Along with that, he received a back-dated two-year suspension for testing positive for steroids during a previous fight against Christian Hammer.
The suspension forced the British champion away from the ring, which led to his downfall into substance abuse and depression. He was later stripped of his title, and Klitschko fought Anthony Joshua instead.
On this day seven years ago, Tyson Fury defeated Wladimir Klitschko to claim the unified heavyweight titles 👑 https://t.co/3dZNOiAiTg