Who Is Tyson Fury, The New World Champion?

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Written By Gholam Rahmani

British heavyweight fighter Tyson Fury stunned World Champion Wladimir Klitschko to snatch his combined WBA, IBF and WBO belts – but who is Fury?

He has seemed to come from nowhere and now sits on top of the world as only the eighth British boxer to hold the world crown.

Klitschko wants a rematch after an embarrassing showing where he hardly landed a punch.

“Failure is not an option,” said Klitschko, 39. “I am better than that performance and want the world to see the real me.”

Nevertheless, Fury, 27, is savouring the fruits of his victory.

Fury, from Manchester, says he looks forward to any rematch and will win again.

No date has been set for the return – but the venue is likely to be Wembley Stadium, London.

Unbeaten in 25 fights

He also intends to fight unbeaten US bruiser Deontay Wilder for his WBC heavyweight belt to unite all the different boxing board titles.

Fury ended Klitschko’s 11 year run of 22 unbeaten fights to take his belts.

Fury turned pro in 2008 and is currently unbeaten with 18 knock-outs in 25 fights.

Standing 6 feet 9 inches tall, Fury is a formidable opponent but some say he has benefitted by a lack of heavyweight talent around the world which has allowed Klitschko to stay at the top for so long virtually unchallenged.

During his career, he has held the British, Irish, European and Commonwealth heavyweight belts.

He took his first title – the English heavyweight crown – in a bout with fellow British heavyweight John McDermott in 2010.

Bare knuckle fighting

Fury’s family are Irish travellers. His father fought as a bare knuckle fighter before turning professional in the 1980s and his cousin Andy Lee holds the WBO middleweight belt.

Many attribute Fury’s success to his unorthodox boxing style which his opponents find is difficult to adapt to. His stance sometimes considered a throwback to the days of bare knuckle fighting which is in Fury’s roots.

Explaining bare knuckle fighting, Fury said: “Travellers do not go to courts to settle matters, they step out and fight and the best man wins.

“Then we shake hands and that’s that. I don’t do that anymore. It’s just boxing now.”