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| Tyson Fury takes on Wladimir Klitschko in Dusseldorf |
TYSON FURY’S dad used to lie on the bed of his 9ft by 6ft prison cell and watch his son on TV tearing up the heavyweight division.
“I was there with him in spirit and he knew that,” said John Fury.
On Saturday, John will finally be with him in person as Tyson fights Wladimir Klitschko for the right to be WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight champion. He will be present after serving five years of an 11-year sentence for gouging a man’s eye out in a brawl at a car auction and getting special permission from the authorities to leave the country while on probation.
And John believes the same mental strength that saw him survive his time behind bars is what son Tyson will use to upset the odds against a man who has dominated heavyweight boxing for a decade.
“I’m proud of myself because I came through in flying colours,” said John, about his time in prison. “It’s like I said to the policeman, ‘I’ve done it, do what you’ve got to do’.
“I can't tell you why because that's [the reason for the brawl] between me and him and it'll stay that way. He will take it to his grave, I'll take it to mine.
“It's a done deal. He's lost an eye and I've lost five years of my life, important years I'm never going to get back. What money couldn't buy.
“The thing is you don't let it get you down and I didn't let it get me down. It's all about mental strength. This is where Tyson gets it from.
“Mental strength - that's what's going to beat Wladimir Klitschko on Saturday, his strength and my mind.”
Fury Sr was genuinely concerned he would be denied the chance to go to Germany to see what could be the greatest night of his son’s career in front of 55,000 fans in Dusseldorf.
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| Tyson Fury and Wladimir Klitschko stare off during a press conference |
He thanked those in charge for allowing him to be here and believes his behaviour while in prison is the reason he got the green light to travel.
John added: “I didn't think in my wildest dreams I would be here witnessing this magnificent event, but I'm here because it's God's will that I'm here.
“The probation service and the powers that be have been very good to me. Even when I was in prison, I got treated like a king in there.
“I went in four different prisons and a big thank you to the HMP Service. They gave me the utmost respect and I gave it back to them.
“I can't thank them enough because without those people I wouldn't be here now.
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| Wladimir Klitschko holds the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles |
“I said to the powers that be - I don't get control of my life back until 2019 - whatever you see fit, do. If you don't think I can't go, I can't go. I'll leave it to you.
“They wrote back and said 'Mr Fury, crack on'. I tip my cap to them.”
John was given an early release after he explained how he needed to be around his son and family.
He said: “I was the model prisoner. I was in for five years and never had a warning. I was behind my door on time, went to work on time, never took a day off ill. I did everything asked of me.
“I said I wanted to get home because I had a lot happening outside. I knew my son needed me, not for what I can do because I'm useless, but because I'm his father.”
Fury has been trained by his dad in the past as well as his late uncle Hughie, who did last year after a blood clot developed during routine surgery.
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| In association with Box Nation |
His other uncle Peter had already taken over as coach, but Fury Sr will now give his son another voice to listen to.
He added: “I'm here to steady his ship. We talk a lot, we walk a lot. My brother Peter is his uncle, but he's not his dad.
“I've said to him, 'listen son, it's about mental strength, winning fights.
“I came through the ordeal I've come through - I lost my brother, Hughie too, who meant the world to me - back-to-back knocks, but I'm still here.
“I said to him ‘bring that into the ring with you and you won't go far wrong’."
Klitschko v Fury is live on Sky Sports Box Office this Saturday. Buy now at skysports.com/klitschkofury
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