I’VE already listened to John Fury set the world to rights and his son, Tyson Fury, way lyrical on subjects as diverse as Christianity and pornography. Now, as I begin to run out of meaningful questions, Peter Fury joins us – making five grown men in a modestly proportioned caravan. Tyson had talked earlier about how he liked to balloon up in weight between fights and I asked Peter how he felt about this damaging habit.
“When he’s in camp, training, he’s very dedicated,” Perter insists. “That’s why he’s where he is. He knows as well when he does go home he needs to shape his act up. Ideally for me I’d like him to be in shape, a consummate professional, dropping 7-10lbs or something. When you’re at home with your wife and kids, the last thing you wanna do is keep to a rigorous diet so I can understand it, but it doesn’t help.”
It’s been a strange journey for Peter Fury, from protective uncle to professional boxing trainer and taking his nephew and pupil into a world heavyweight title challenge against Wladimir Klitschko on October 24. Despite previously working with Eddie Chambers – who gives Tyson a great chance against Wladimir – and others, the coach now believes he will only give serious time to Tyson and Peter’s own son, unbeaten heavyweight Hughie.
“If it had been anybody else except family I wouldn’t even be in boxing,” he states. “I’m only here because it’s me family. I’m never gonna say to him – me brother’s child – ‘I’m not gonna do it’. That’d be like calling me name into disrepute. I wouldn’t have given them promises to anyone else because I wouldn’t have kept them and I’m not a liar anyway. I’ve had other people to train but I’ve sent them home after three or four months. Him and me son, that’s all, when these two finish boxing, I’m out of it”
