Fury back in love with boxing

LONDON: Troubled former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury equated boxing to a marriage and that after a rocky period he is back fully in love again with the sport.

The 29-year-old — who has battled with depression which led to heavy drinking sessions and taking drugs — is set for his first bout in over two-and-a-half years on Saturday against Albanian Sefer Seferi in Manchester. Fury, who dramatically took the world title (WBA/IBF/WBO belts)beating long-time holder Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015, told the BBC he has worked hard to resurrect his passion for boxing.

“Boxing is like a marriage — you have to work at it. You do fall in and out of love,” said Fury. “But I have spiced it back up again, bought her some sexy lingerie and we are back at it, better than ever.”

Fury, who was cleared to fight again last December by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) after accepting a backdated two-year ban for testing positive for the banned steroid Nandrolone, says this comeback is about “inspiring others who are suffering” with mental health issues.